By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Humans of AfricaHumans of AfricaHumans of Africa
  • Home
  • News
  • Features
  • Obituaries
Search
© 2023 | Humans of Africa
Font ResizerAa
Humans of AfricaHumans of Africa
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • Home
  • News
  • Features
  • Obituaries
Follow US
© 2023 | Humans of Africa
Features

Soweto’s ‘Lion King’ on his return for Mufasa

By Danai Nesta Kupemba, Alan Kasujja & Sharon Hemans Published March 8, 2025
5 Min Read
SHARE

South African composer Lebo M, renowned for creating the distinctive opening chant of The Lion King’s Circle of Life, rose from his life in exile in the US to legendary status and is now back with his signature sound for the latest instalment in the franchise, Mufasa.

His unforgettable Zulu cry, “Nants ingonyama, bagithi Baba”, meaning “here comes a lion, father”, is a stand-out moment in the original film.

Now, he is bringing his signature sound to Mufasa with a new song.

Directed by Barry Jenkins, the film serves as a prequel, exploring orphaned Mufasa’s journey as he faces hardships and tries to find his place in the world.

The story resonates with Lebo M’s own life.

Born in 1964, at the height of apartheid, the racist system of oppression in South Africa, he grew up in Soweto, a black township on the outskirts of Johannesburg.

He told the BBC Africa Daily podcast that he came from “the poorest neighbourhood and the poorest family”.

But despite the circumstances he was born into, his talent and love for singing was apparent.

In 1979, at 16, he was forced into exile after travelling to neighbouring Lesotho to perform. He had gone without an ID or passport and was denied re-entry to South Africa.

He settled in Lesotho for a while before moving to the US to attend school and later settled in Los Angeles.

This is where his career skyrocketed and his Lion King journey began.

Lebo M said he is proud he contributed to a project like the Lion King, “that represents Africa in the highest quality” and considers it one of his great successes.

Lebo M and John Kani, who plays Rafiki, at the South African premiere of 2019 remake of The Lion King

But despite being a “major part of the original DNA” of The Lion King by conceptualising and composing the music, Lebo M feels he has not received as much financial success from it as some of his peers, largely due to his background.

“I’m forever a refugee, I’m forever an immigrant from Africa even in the business room,” he told the BBC.

He said at the time he did not have lawyers to ensure he got his fair share.

Even now, three decades deep into his career, Lebo M said he often finds he is the only black person in the room.

“I don’t think it’s because of tokenism,” he explained, adding that his experience speaks for itself.

In addition to working on The Lion King franchise, he has also composed music for The Woman King, The Power of One, and Congo.

“I don’t feel unwelcome, I don’t feel intimidated, I don’t feel like I don’t belong. But I know if I didn’t do what I do I wouldn’t be in that setting,” he said.

Despite growing up under apartheid, and being affected by racist ideology, he said he never experienced direct racism until he got to the US.

“I was born into apartheid. That means, I don’t know what it is like to be in a ‘multiracial environment’ until I got to America,” he said.

Now 64, Lebo M reflects on his legacy and the lessons he learned from the musical legends he met during his exile, like Hugh Masekela and Miriam Makeba – two pillars of South Africa’s musical history.

He shared that despite their immense success, their financial legacy did not match their global stature, especially toward the end of their lives.

This is a common thread among many African musicians who, unfortunately, died poor.

Although he has learned from their mistakes, he acknowledges that success is not just about commercial gain, but about “personal fulfilment,” which he has found with the Lion King.

TAGGED:AfricaLebo MSouth Africa

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
[mc4wp_form]
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Flipboard Whatsapp Whatsapp Reddit Telegram Email
Previous Article Mozambique court ruling sparks fresh poll protests
Next Article Mauritius hints Chagos talks stuck over money
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Most Popular

Ricci Ossei - Humans of Africa
Ricci Osei: A cultural and artistic icon
Obituaries
Former refugee donates his entire maize harvest to Ukrainians
Features
Nigeria’s ‘Mr Flag Man’ waited a year to be buried
News
Trailblazing ballerina Michaela DePrince dies aged 29
News
James Earl Jones, Whose Powerful Acting Resonated Onstage and Onscreen, Dies at 93
News
The children bearing the brunt of the mpox outbreak
Features
Rwanda genocide: My return home after 30 years
Features
Sudan conflict: A front-row seat to my country falling apart
Features
Nigerian, Helen Williams sets record for longest wig
News
Fake CV lands top ‘engineer’ in jail for 15 years
News
Follow US
© 2024 | Humans of Africa
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account