South African composer and Grammy winner Lebo M has filed a lawsuit against Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Jonasi for misinterpreting the unforgettable chant in the song “Circle of Life” from Disney’s “The Lion King.”
The dispute centers on claims of false statements and misleading representations, raising questions about how far comedy can go before crossing legal boundaries.
Lebo M Filed A $27 Million Lawsuit
Lebo Morake, better known as Lebo M, filed a lawsuit on March 16 against Jonasi after the latter appeared on a podcast in February, during which he translated the Zulu chant at the beginning of “Circle of Life.” The clip went viral, with many commenting that their childhoods were ruined after hearing Jonasi’s translation.
Per the documents obtained by PEOPLE, Lebo M is claiming that Jonasi made “false statements of fact about the meaning of the ‘Nants’ingonyama’ composition.” The comedian is being sued for defamation per se, trade libel, tortious interference with prospective economic advantage, and violating the Lanham Act, a federal trademark statute that protects brand owners. The composer is seeking $27 million in damages.
According to Lebo M, Jonasi conveyed his translation as “authoritative fact, not comedy,” adding that he “mocked the chant’s cultural significance with exaggerated imitations.”
Learnmore Jonasi’s Viral Video
In February, Jonasi was a guest on the “One54 Africa” podcast hosted by comedian Godfrey and former football player Akbar Gbaja-Biamila. At one point, the trio discussed the iconic “The Lion King” chant, with Gbaja-Biamila saying, “I heard you had a problem with ‘The Lion King.’”
After Jonasi sang the chant, he was asked what it meant, to which he replied, “Look! There’s a lion. Oh my god.” Gbaja-Biamila responded in disbelief, saying, “You’re joking. That’s not what it means.” “That’s exactly what it means,” Jonasi replied.
In Lebo M’s court filing, he said Jonasi’s translation was oversimplified, adding, “The true meaning of Nants’ ingonyama bagithi Baba is ‘All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king’.”
Online Reactions To The Viral Video
The podcast clip circulated online, with many users sharing it on different social media platforms.
One commenter said, “This man ain’t bout to destroy my childhood with all of this accuracy!” Another one added, “Some texts are better off untranslated.” A user wrote they didn’t want to believe it, adding, “My whole childhood has been crashed in the moment.”
Others, meanwhile, took the time to explain why Jonasi was wrong. One commenter, who is Zulu, explained, “Not bashing him but there’s a nuance in the language that only mother tongue speakers understand, and he missed it – if not, he probably ignored it for comedic purposes.”
Another user wrote, “I’m Zulu, and that basically translates to ‘here’s our lion’ and what it really means in our culture is ‘Here’s our King!’”
Lebo M Reached Out To The Comedian
Prior to filing the lawsuit, Lebo M reached out to Jonasi. On March 4, the composer took to Instagram to share his thoughts about the viral video, saying the comedian intentionally turned the chant into a joke to go viral, calling him an “idiot” for disrespecting the song.
According to Lebo M, he explained the chant to Jonasi, saying that it was a cultural heritage. However, Jonasi said that as a comedian, he had been making that joke for several years, and he wasn’t going to stop.
Jonasi also took to Instagram, posting a video where he explained why he “dismissed” Lebo M. The comedian said that he actually liked the song, and what he said was only meant as a joke. “Comedy has a way of starting a conversation,” he noted, adding that he told the composer that the viral moment was a good way to educate people.
Jonasi said he wanted to collaborate with Lebo M to make a video and clear the misunderstanding, but Lebo M called him “self-hating,” which shut down the conversation. “This person is literally not attacking the joke, but my character,” he shared.
Lebo M Won A Grammy For ‘Circle of Life’
In 1995, Lebo M and fellow composer Hans Zimmer won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Arrangement with Accompanying Vocals at the Grammys for “Circle of Life.” The former also lent his vocals for the chant, and the same song was used in the 2019 remake of “The Lion King.”
In his Instagram post, Lebo M wrote in the caption, “This is where we begin something important, a conversation dedicated to decoding the meaning behind the words, restoring the context, the culture, and the power they carry. Because some phrases are not just lyrics. They are legacy.”
