South African composer sues comedian over 'Lion King' routine

Key Points:

• Grammy-winning South African composer Lebohang Morake, known as Lebo M, has sued Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Mwanyenyeka (Learnmore Jonasi) for allegedly damaging his reputation by misrepresenting the meaning of the iconic opening chant in Disney’s “The Lion King” on a podcast and in stand-up routines.
• The lawsuit claims Jonasi intentionally mistranslated the chant’s lyrics from Zulu and Xhosa, mocking its cultural significance and causing harm to Morake’s business relationships and royalties, with damages sought exceeding $27 million.
• Jonasi’s translation reduced the chant’s royal metaphor to a simplistic phrase about a lion, which Morake’s legal team argues distorts the song’s traditional South African meaning and is presented as fact rather than comedy, challenging First Amendment protections.
• The dispute gained viral attention on social media, with Jonasi stating he is a fan of Morake’s work and initially wanting to collaborate on educating audiences, but withdrawing after personal disagreements following their communications.
• Disney has not commented on the lawsuit, and Jonasi has not publicly responded through legal channels but continues to address the controversy during his U.S. tour.