'Lion King' chant sparks legal drama between composer, comedian

A Grammy-winning South African composer behind the iconic opening chant in The Lion King is suing a comedian for allegedly harming his reputation by deliberately misrepresenting the song’s meaning in both a podcast and a stand-up routine.

Lebohang Morake claims that Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Mwanyenyeka—known as Learnmore Jonasi—intentionally mistranslated the chant, which famously opens the 1994 Disney film and remains a key element in stage productions and the 2019 remake.

The dispute, which has gained traction on social media as the two exchange public criticisms, stems from Jonasi’s remarks during performances and a recent podcast interview, where he translated lyrics from Zulu and Xhosa, two of South Africa’s official languages.

Filed this month in federal court in Los Angeles—where Morake, professionally known as Lebo M, resides and where Jonasi recently performed—the lawsuit alleges that Jonasi mocked the chant’s cultural importance through exaggerated imitations.