Comedian's Viral Lion King Joke Has Landed Him In Hot Water With $20 Million Lawsuit

The beloved opening song from directors Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers' 1994 animated box office smash "The Lion King" is titled "Circle of Life," as written by Elton John and Hans Zimmer, with lyrics by Tim Rice. It was nominated for a Best Original Song Oscar and lost out to another tune from the movie (the equally well-known "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"). "Circle of Life" famously begins with a bold, loud declaration in the Zulu language. It was sung by the South Africa-born singer Lebohang Morake, better known by his stage name of Lebo M. The lyrics are as follows per a 2019 translation by Classic FM:

Nants'ingonyama bagithi Baba Sithi uhm ingonyama.

Nants'ingonyama bagithi Baba Sithi uhhmm ingonyama Ingonyama Siyo Nqoba Ingonyama Ingonyama nengw' enamabala

It seems this passage, in English, reads:

Here comes a lion, father, Oh yes it's a lion.

Here comes a lion, father, Oh yes it's a lion. A lion we're going to conquer, a lion, a lion and a leopard come to this open place.

This rather unimpressive set of lyrics have become more common knowledge over time, prompting certain comedians to mock the tune. "Circle of Life" may be a cherished Disney song, but its actual lyrics are, at their heart, somewhat risible, as majestic as they might sound when performed in the Zulu language.

A Zimbabwean comedian named Learnmore Jonasi even poked fun at "Circle of Life" on the "One54" podcast, and he simplified the translation to "Look! There's a lion! Oh my god!" while maintaining this was a genuine translation. Evidently, Morake heard Jonasi's jokes and took offense. As reported by The Guardian, Morake is now suing Jonasi for his mistranslation, seeking damages to the tune of $20 million in actual damages and another $7 million in punitive damages.

According to The Guardian, Lebohang Morake claimed that Learnmore Jonasi's jokes about "Circle of Life" reduce "the chant's cultural significance with exaggerated imitations." There is a little bit of a muddle, however, as Disney claims the opening phrase of the song, "Nants'ingonyama bagithi Baba," should be properly translated as "All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king."

Jonasi, meanwhile, has long been critical of "The Lion King," once mocking it on "America's Got Talent." He's also noted that it tells an African story, yet its characters mostly have American accents, and he's baffled by the mandrill Rafiki (voiced by Robert Guillaume) having a Caribbean accent. At the same time, he finds it was wholly appropriate for the power-hungry lion and all-time great Disney animated movie villain Scar (Jeremy Irons) to have a British accent. The accent of colonialism, you see.

The lawsuit appears to be rooted in various translations of the Zulu language. It seems "ingonyama" can indeed mean merely "lion," but Morake maintains it's a more dignified phrase that denotes a specific kind of royal imprimatur. (For more on that, read this explainer by My Modern Net.) What's more, Morake says Jonasi's standup bit is meant to be taken as authoritative and could damage both his relationship with Disney and royalties for the song. Hence, the hefty financial penalty.

There's been some bitter back-and-forth online between Morake and Jonasi as well, with each one responding in online videos. Jonasi stated that he might want to collaborate but backed off when Morake posted his video. Morake, meanwhile, feels like his culture is being mocked and has called Jonasi out. Tensions currently seem high between them.