Three St. Lunatics Members Drop Out of Nelly Royalties Lawsuit
Three St. Lunatics members have officially withdrawn from their lawsuit against Nelly over alleged unpaid royalties from his breakthrough album "Country Grammar."
Ali Jones, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, and City Spud initially filed the lawsuit in September, claiming they contributed to Nelly's solo work without receiving proper credit or compensation. However, Lee, Kyjuan, and City Spud quickly clarified they never agreed to be part of the legal action and requested removal from the case.
Nelly wearing white during press appearance
Photo Credit: Nelly by Adam Bielawski / CC by 3.0
The lawsuit now stands solely between Ali Jones and Nelly. Ali's attorney, Precious Felder Gates, confirmed to Billboard that her client will continue pursuing his claim for unpaid royalties.
The St. Lunatics, formed by childhood friends from St. Louis, first gained recognition in the late 1990s with their single "Gimme What U Got." Their group album "Free City" reached #1 on the Billboard 200, following Nelly's solo success with "Country Grammar."
Ali's lawsuit alleges Nelly "repeatedly manipulated" the group regarding payment for their contributions to his solo work. The updated filing now includes HarbourView Equity Partners as a defendant, following Nelly's $50 million catalog sale to them last year.
Demonstrating their continued friendship with Nelly, the three withdrawn members - Spud, Kyjuan, and Lee - joined him on stage during his American Music Awards performance, further distancing themselves from the legal dispute.
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