Comedian Sued By Lion King Composer Over Song's 'True Meaning' Responds Publicly

A comedian has spoken out after being sued for $27 million by the composer of The Lion King’s iconic opening song. The legal action came after he made a lighthearted and humorous “translation” of the famous chant.

The opening of The Lion King is widely recognized, showing the sun rising over the African savanna while the chant 'Nants'ingonyama bagithi Baba' plays. It is a moment that many people instantly recognize.

The music for Circle of Life was created by composer Lebohang Morake. The song plays a central role in both the original Disney film and the stage version.

Morake has now filed a lawsuit against Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Mwanyenyeka, who performs as Learnmore Jonasi. The claim states that Jonasi mocked the cultural importance of the chant by exaggerating it for comedic effect.

During an appearance on the One54 podcast, the hosts, who are Nigerian, sang the lyrics incorrectly.

Jonasi stepped in to correct them and said: "That's not how you sing it, don't mess up our language like that," before demonstrating the correct version of the chant.

Jonasi took to Instagram after the viral incident Instagram/@learnmore_jonasi

When the hosts then asked him what the chant actually means, Jonasi gave a joking response, saying: "Look, there's a lion. Oh my god."

The official translation, as provided by Disney, is: "All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king."

After news of the lawsuit became public, Jonasi shared a video on social media to address the situation. In the clip, he said: "I'm officially getting sued for telling a joke."

He then played the original podcast clip before reacting to the situation further. He explained the financial scale of the lawsuit, saying: "And that's why I'm getting sued for $27 million."

He also revealed that he was served legal papers while he was performing live on stage at the Laugh Factory, which added another layer of shock to the moment.

The video then cuts to footage from his show, where someone hands him an envelope during his set and informs him that he has been served, leaving him visibly surprised in front of the audience.

Holding up the envelope in front of the crowd, he explained what was happening in real time, saying: "For those that are wondering what this is for, I did a joke about The Lion King. I don't know if you saw it, that was me yeah, I'm paying for that s**t now."

Still reacting to the situation, he added: "I just got served in front of you guys. I'm now raising money, a GoFundMe page."

Despite the interruption, Jonasi continued with his performance. He kept the audience engaged and even made further jokes, including questioning why the lions in the movie have American accents while only the monkey character speaks with an African accent.

Continuing his explanation in the video, he said: "Right now I am looking for a lawyer, I need a very good lawyer. If you know anybody out here who is willing to help me, please, please reach out to me."

He also expressed frustration about the situation, adding: "I can't believe I'm getting sued for telling a joke, what kind of stupid world do we live in?"

Jonasi has previously said that he respects the song and is a fan of Morake’s work, making it clear that his intention was not to offend.

Jonasi was served the papers while performing onstage Instagram/@learnmore_jonasi

The comedian also shared that, after realizing the joke had upset Morake, he tried to resolve things by suggesting a collaboration. He proposed creating a video together to explore the deeper meaning behind the song, explaining in an Instagram video: "Comedy always has a way of starting conversation. This is your chance to actually educate people, because now people are listening."

However, he later withdrew that offer. He claimed that Morake referred to him as 'self-hating' in a private exchange after the podcast, and he felt that this reaction did not reflect the intent behind his comedy, which often looks at how Africa is portrayed in Western media.

Morake is now seeking $20 million in actual damages and an additional $7 million in punitive damages. He argues that the joke has affected his relationship with Disney and may have impacted his income from royalties linked to the song.