St. Louis, MO — A lawsuit initially involving four members of the St. Lunatics against rapper Nelly took an unexpected turn recently when three of the plaintiffs declared they were erroneously included and demanded immediate withdrawal from the legal battle. The musicians, once united under the St. Lunatics banner in the late ’90s, appear divided as allegations of unpaid royalties surface from their breakthrough times.
The dispute revolves around Nelly’s debut album “Country Grammar,” which sky-rocketed to success in 2000. Initially, it seemed that fellow bandmates Murphy Lee (Tohri Harper), Kyjuan (Robert Kyjuan), City Spud (Lavell Webb), and Ali (Ali Jones) aligned in their claims against Nelly, legally known as Cornell Haynes. However, recent developments underscore a significant rift among the former collaborators.
An attorney for Harper, Kyjuan, and Webb sent a forceful letter to the lawyer managing the lawsuit last month, explicitly stating his clients’ disassociation with the case. The attorney, N. Scott Rosenblum, stressed that the trio did not consent to being plaintiffs and warned of potential legal consequences should their names not be removed.
This legal scuffle comes after an apparently harmonious reunion between Nelly and the three disputing members during a performance at the American Music Awards on October 6, suggesting a possible reconciliation or at least professional civility amidst the legal turmoil. This public appearance contrasts starkly with the ongoing legal narrative, highlighting the complexities of personal and professional relationships in the music industry.
Ali, the remaining plaintiff in the case, seems isolated as his claims of financial misconduct by Nelly continue without the support of his former bandmates. This isolation marks a significant pivot in the lawsuit, reducing it to a one-on-one legal dispute between Ali and Nelly.
The origins of the St. Lunatics trace back to their high school days in St. Louis, with the group making a splash with their hit “Gimme What U Got.” Following Nelly’s solo success, the group released “Free City” in 2001, which also performed well commercially. The lawsuit originally argued that Nelly had manipulated the group into believing they would be compensated for their contributions to “Country Grammar,” with promises made but never fulfilled.
According to the complaint, the band members confronted Nelly about their concerns over the years, but were reassured by him that they would receive their due credits and royalties. The lawsuit detailed that it was only years later that the plaintiffs discovered the alleged discrepancies and broken promises regarding their creative contributions and financial compensation.
The fallout from this lawsuit is likely to shed light on the business dealings and personal betrayals within the music industry, particularly how verbal agreements and friendships intersect with legal and financial obligations. As the case proceeds with Ali standing alone against Nelly, the music community and fans are left to ponder the implications of the dispute on the legacy of the St. Lunatics and their contributions to the hip-hop genre.