Lebo M, the South African composer and Grammy winner, has sued Zimbabwean comedian Learnmore Jonasi for mangling the iconic chant from “Circle of Life” in Disney’s “The Lion King.” The dispute revolves around allegations of false statements and deceptive claims, questioning the limits of comedy before it breaches legal lines. Lebo M Filed A $27 Million Lawsuit. Lebo Morake, widely known as Lebo M, sued Jonasi on March 16 following the latter’s February podcast appearance, in which he translated the Zulu chant that opens “Circle of Life.” The clip went viral, with numerous commenters saying their childhoods were ruined upon hearing Jonasi’s translation. According to documents obtained by PEOPLE, Lebo M alleges that Jonasi made “false statements of fact about the meaning of the ‘Nants’ingonyama’ composition.” The comedian faces a lawsuit alleging defamation per se, trade libel, tortious interference with prospective economic advantage, and a violation of the Lanham Act, a federal trademark law safeguarding brand owners. The composer is demanding $27 million in damages. Lebo M states that Jonasi presented his translation as “authoritative fact, not comedy,” and that he “mocked the chant’s cultural significance with exaggerated imitations.” Learnmore Jonasi’s Viral Video. Check out this Instagram post.
