The Lion’s Defamation
A Grammy-winning voice behind one of cinema’s most iconic moments is demanding a roar of justice.
Lebohang Morake, the South African composer who performed the legendary opening chant in Disney’s The Lion King, is suing comedian Learnmore Jonasi for over $20 million, alleging a mistranslation joke has damaged his reputation and business ties.
The lawsuit centres on Jonasi’s bit, shared on a podcast and in stand-up sets, where he jokingly claimed the revered Zulu phrase “Nants’ingonyama bagithi Baba” translates not to “All hail the king,” but simply “Look, there’s a lion. Oh my god.”
Morake argues the comedian presented the translation “as authoritative fact, not comedy,” stripping it of parody protections.
Morake claims the viral joke has interfered with his relationship with Disney and his royalty income.
While Jonasi hasn’t formally responded, he’s taken to social media, calling himself a fan and proposing a collaboration video to educate audiences.
The cultural stakes are high; what began as a punchline now carries a price tag worthy of Pride Rock.
