More than 20 years after Nelly‘s debut album Country Grammar dominated the charts, the rapper is now facing legal action from his former St. Lunatics bandmates.
The group, comprised of high school friends from St. Louis, claims that Nelly cut them out of credits and denied them rightful royalty payments for their contributions to the 2000 hit album.
In a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, St. Lunatics members Ali (Ali Jones), Murphy Lee (Tohri Harper), Kyjuan (Robert Kyjuan), and City Spud (Lavell Webb) allege that Nelly (Cornell Haynes) manipulated them into believing they would be compensated for their work.
The lawsuit accuses Nelly of repeatedly assuring them as “friends” that they would receive their fair share of the financial success from Country Grammar.
Unfortunately, the group members say they trusted their long-time friend and did not pursue legal action sooner.
The St. Lunatics found fame in the late 1990s with their hit single “Gimme What U Got” and later released their own album Free City, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200.
While they are listed as co-writers for several tracks on Country Grammar, including the successful single “Ride Wit Me,” the lawsuit claims their involvement went beyond what is publicly credited.
The lawsuit names songs like “Steal the Show,” “Thicky Thick Girl,” “Batter Up,” and “Wrap Sumden,” alleging the band members contributed significantly to these tracks.
Most notably, they argue that the title track “Country Grammar,” which reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, was a collaborative effort, despite the fact that only Nelly and producer Jason Epperson are listed in the credits.
The lawsuit states that during and after recording Country Grammar, Nelly publicly and privately acknowledged the St. Lunatics’ role in writing the lyrics and even promised to ensure they would receive proper credit.
However, by 2020, the group says they realized Nelly had been “lying the entire time.”
After years of false promises, the St. Lunatics say they discovered they had been denied recognition and publishing income.
When an attorney representing the group approached Universal Music Publishing Group, Nelly’s lawyers dismissed their claims in 2021, prompting the group to file the current lawsuit.
Despite the serious accusations, Nelly’s legal team may challenge the case based on timing.
Copyright ownership disputes are typically limited by a three-year statute of limitations.
While the lawsuit frames the issue as copyright infringement—allowing for more time—the case may hinge on whether the court agrees that it should have been filed earlier as an ownership dispute.
As of now, Nelly and his representatives have not commented on the lawsuit.
The legal battle is poised to revive long-standing questions about credit and compensation in the music industry.
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Source: Billboard
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