As reported by Billboard, Nelly (Cornell Haynes), the renowned artist behind the chart-topping breakout album Country Grammar, is currently entangled in a legal battle with his former St. Lunatics groupmates. The group members, including Ali (Ali Jones), Murphy Lee (Tohri Harper), Kyjuan (Robert Kyjuan), and City Spud (Lavell Webb), have filed a complaint in Manhattan federal court alleging that Nelly manipulated and deprived them of credits and royalty payments for their contributions to the 2000 album.
According to the filed complaint, Nelly repeatedly assured the group members that they would be fairly compensated for their work on the album. However, the group members claim that they later discovered Nelly's false promises and his deliberate withholding of their entitled financial success. The lawsuit explicitly states, "Every time plaintiffs confronted defendant Haynes [he] would assure them as ‘friends’ he would never prevent them from receiving the financial success they were entitled to."
The group's attorneys further assert that the St. Lunatics were involved in creating more songs than they were officially credited for on Country Grammar, including notable tracks such as "Steal the Show," "Thicky Thick Girl," "Batter Up," and "Wrap Sumden." Particularly, the title track "Country Grammar," which achieved significant success by topping the Billboard 200 and singles chart, only credits Nelly and producer Jason Epperson, despite the group's alleged involvement in its creation.
The lawsuit also reveals that the group members initially refrained from pursuing legal action, believing in Nelly's promises of fair recognition and credit. However, their trust was shattered when they realized that Nelly had no intention of fulfilling his commitments.
The St. Lunatics' legal representatives assert that they were compelled to take legal action after Nelly's attorneys dismissed their claims to credit in 2021. Despite potential challenges related to copyright infringement and ownership disputes, lead plaintiffs’ counsel Precious Felder Gates remains resolute, stating, "We’re not concerned about the statute of limitations and hope for an harmonious resolution. If not, we will pursue all legal remedies afforded to our clients."
As this legal saga unfolds, it remains to be seen how the dispute between Nelly and his former group mates will be resolved.
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