- Grammy-winning South African composer Lebohang Morake, known as Lebo M, has filed a $27 million federal lawsuit against Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Jonasi.
- The lawsuit targets Jonasi for a viral joke where he stated the iconic ‘Circle of Life’ opening chant from Disney’s ‘The Lion King’ means ‘Look, there’s a lion. Oh my god.’
- Morake alleges the comedian’s mistranslation was presented as authoritative fact, not comedy, causing him over $20 million in actual damages and seeking an additional $7 million in punitive damages.
- The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
The legal battle stems from comedian Learnmore Jonasi’s viral interpretation of the Zulu chant from ‘The Lion King’. Lebo M, who wrote and performed the opening chant for the 1994 animated film and its Broadway adaptation, claims Jonasi’s joke trivialized his artistic work and could jeopardize his collaborations with Disney. This legal action has ignited a debate about artistic interpretation, satire, and the cultural significance of traditional African languages and their representations in global media.
Jonasi was reportedly served with the lawsuit while performing onstage at The Laugh Factory in Los Angeles, an incident he recorded and shared on TikTok. He has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover his legal costs and is selling merchandise featuring the phrase ‘Look, it’s a Lawsuit.’ The comedian maintains he is a fan of Morake’s work and initially sought collaboration to explain the chant’s deeper meaning.
Morake’s legal team contends that while ‘ingonyama’ can literally mean ‘lion’ in Zulu, its context in praise imbongi and royal metaphor invokes kingship, ancestral authority, and sovereign presence, which they argue Jonasi’s joke distorted for self-profit. This case highlights the complexities of cultural appropriation and intellectual property in the digital age, especially when humor intersects with established artistic and cultural heritage.
Timeline
- **March 27, 2026:** Lebo M files a $27 million federal lawsuit against Learnmore Jonasi in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.
- **March 27, 2026:** Learnmore Jonasi is served with the lawsuit while performing onstage at The Laugh Factory in Los Angeles.
- **March 27, 2026:** Jonasi launches a GoFundMe campaign to cover legal costs and begins selling ‘Look, it’s a Lawsuit’ merchandise.
Key Players
- **Lebohang Morake (Lebo M):** Grammy-winning South African composer, writer, and performer of ‘The Lion King’s’ opening chant, plaintiff in the lawsuit.
- **Learnmore Jonasi:** Zimbabwean comedian, defendant in the lawsuit, whose viral joke about ‘The Lion King’ chant led to the legal action.
- **Disney:** Company for which Lebo M composed and performed, whose potential future collaborations are cited as a concern by Morake.
- **U.S. District Court for the Central District of California:** The legal venue where the lawsuit has been filed.
