Members of Nelly's band St. Lunatics have filed a lawsuit against the rapper, claiming they never received proper credit or royalties from his 2000 album rural grammar.
Attorneys for St. Lunatics members Ali, Murphy Lee, Kejuan, and City Spud – who all appear on rural grammar – He filed the complaint Wednesday in federal court in Manhattan, Billboard Reports.
While the St. Lunatics are credited with performing and composing some of the songs—notably, Ali and Murphy Lee appeared on and co-wrote the hit song “Batter Up” and Citi Spud on the hit song “Ride Wit Me”—the lawsuit against Nelly (real name Cornell Haynes) alleges that the end credits diminished their actual contributions to the album and thus deprived them of royalties.
For example, Nelly's hit song “Country Grammar (Hot Shit)” is credited solely to rapper and producer Jason Epperson, but the members of St. Lunatics claim they were the “lyricists” of the song. Nelly allegedly promised them “writing and publishing credit” on several of the songs. rural grammar Tracks but never did.
“Every time the plaintiffs confronted defendant Haynes, [he] “The friend would never prevent them from receiving the financial success they deserved,” the lawsuit states, “and unfortunately, the plaintiffs did not initially pursue any legal remedies, as they reasonably believed that their friend and former band member would not steal credit for writing the original compositions.”
Formed in the early 1990s, the St. Lunatics, which included Nelly before he embarked on his solo career, were childhood friends in St. Louis and released their first single, “Gimme What U Got,” in 1996. Nelly signed his own recording contract a few years later, and after the success of rural grammar With St. Lunatics' contributions, the group (with Nelly) released their own album, 2001. Free city.
But in the quarter century since, Nelly has never fulfilled his promise to give the St. Lunatics Society proper credit, leading to the lawsuit. “Despite repeated promises to Plaintiffs that they would receive full credit and appreciation…it has ultimately become apparent that Defendant Haynes never intended to give Plaintiffs any such credit or appreciation,” the lawsuit states.
like Billboard Notes: The lawsuit was framed as a copyright infringement claim—claiming that Nelly used St. Lunatics songs—rather than a legal battle over ownership of the song, as that is only protected by a three-year statute of limitations, and rural grammar It was released 24 years ago.
Nelly's representative did not immediately respond. Rolling StoneRequest comment.
