Anyone who has seen Disney’s smash hit animated film “The Lion King” is familiar with its iconic opening chant. Widely parodied across formats, the chant is based on a Zulu phrase.
Singer Lebohang Morake claims Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Jonasi misinterpreted the lyrics and, while speaking with authority, diminished the song’s cultural value.
Speaking on the podcast “One54,” Jonasi translated the opening chant “Nants’ingonyama bagithi Baba” as “Look, there’s a lion. Oh my God.”
Morake said the correct translation is “All hail the king; we bow in the king’s presence.”
Morake’s lawsuit states that the defendant’s “false characterization” of the chant in commercial media creates a misleading interpretation of his work and diminishes its value and market positioning. The suit alleges the misinformation has damaged Morake’s relationship with Disney and cost him at least $20 million. It is also seeking $7 million in punitive damages.
Comedian Learnmore Jonasi is being sued over his now-viral translation of the iconic “Lion King” chant, with the composer saying the intentional mistranslation denigrates its cultural significance. https://t.co/sfAx35212x
— KTVU (@KTVU) March 25, 2026
“Circle of Life,” the song in which the chant appears, was composed by British musician Elton John and composer Hans Zimmer. Tim Rice wrote the song’s lyrics. The track features vocals by Lebo M., who filed the suit, and Carmen Twillie, who performs the main verses.
The song has remained a pop culture staple and was notably used by Barack Obama in a parody addressing conspiracy theories about his birthplace. The parody referenced false claims that Obama was born outside the United States.
Many parodies replace the lyrics with phonetically similar phrases or use gibberish instead.
Lebo M defends his income, sues Zimbabwean who disrespected his cultural Zulu chant that inspired The Lion Kingpic.twitter.com/hDPfXsn0fd
— EM (@EXECUTIVEXMEDIA) March 25, 2026
Jonasi initially expressed interest in collaborating with Lebo M. to educate audiences about the chant’s meaning. However, he later abandoned the idea after what he described as a negative text exchange with the singer.
Before canceling the collaboration, Jonasi said in a public video addressing the lawsuit: “Comedy always has a way of starting a conversation. This is your chance to actually educate people, because now people are listening.”
