LOS ANGELES, United States – A judge in Los Angeles, United States, has thrown out a $27 million defamation case that South African singer and composer Lebohang Morake, known professionally as Lebo M, had brought against comedian Learnmore Jonasi.

Morake performs the Zulu chant that opens “Circle of Life” in Disney’s The Lion King.

The order, handed down last Friday, dismissed the lawsuit Morake filed in March.

Jonasi’s lawyer, Bryan Sullivan, described the outcome as a win for his client’s free speech rights, telling Rolling Stone: “We have always believed this was a frivolous lawsuit in violation of our client’s First Amendment rights.”

Sullivan said the case was dropped after his team filed a motion for sanctions against Morake, and that Jonasi will now pursue attorneys’ fees under California’s anti-SLAPP law, a statute meant to discourage lawsuits designed to shut down public speech.

The dispute traces back to Jonasi’s appearance on the One54 Africa podcast, where he gave a far less regal reading of the opening chant, “Nants’ingonyama bakithi Baba,” translating it as, “Look, there’s a lion. Oh, my God.”

The hosts reacted with visible shock, and a clip of the moment spread widely on social media afterward.

Morake insists the actual translation is, “All hail the king, we all bow in the presence of the king,” and his suit accused Jonasi of pushing a false translation with reckless disregard for both the truth and Morake’s reputation.

U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton wrote in her order that the two sides had “fully discussed the matter” and agreed to a voluntary dismissal, effective immediately.

She noted the ruling would not stop Jonasi from asking the court to make Morake cover his legal costs. A lawyer for Morake declined to comment on the dismissal.

Jonasi had previously posted a TikTok video of himself being served with the lawsuit mid-performance at The Laugh Factory, and launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover his legal costs.

“What started as a bit of humor has escalated into a devastating legal battle,” he wrote on the fundraising page. “I am a passionate creator who never intended harm, but I now face overwhelming legal fees just to defend my right to speak and tell jokes.”

According to the 19-page complaint, Morake argued Jonasi had presented his translation as fact during an ordinary podcast conversation rather than as part of a stand-up set, claiming Jonasi “presented it as factual knowledge with misguided authenticity to increase exposure and mockery of Lebo M’s creative masterpiece.”

Morake also argued the comments distorted the story behind his work, accusing Jonasi of effectively “spitting on” it, and said he worried the episode could strain his long relationship with Disney, including his recent contribution to Mufasa: The Lion King.

His complaint stated: “This is not free speech, because the statements by defendant are false, vicious, and intended to cause significant harm to the legacy of Lebo M.”

Jonasi leaned further into the saga by selling T-shirts printed with the line, “Look, it’s a Lawsuit. Oh, my God,” featuring a cartoon of himself brandishing legal papers in a pose modelled on Mufasa holding up Simba.

“Get your T-shirt now,” he wrote on Instagram. “You can really help me pay these legal fees.”