Rapper Nelly sued by former bandmates over songs on 'Country Grammar' album

MANHATTAN, N.Y. — St. Louis rapper Nelly is being sued by four of his former St. Lunatics group mates, who say they've been denied writing credit and royalties for eight songs, most of which are featured on his debut album “Country Grammar," which was released 24 years ago. 

The 49-year-old rapper's childhood friends say Nelly lied to the group about giving them writing credit — or paying them royalties — on eight tracks. At least five of those were included his first solo album, which became the eighth hip-hop album to reach "diamond status" in 2016.

Wednesday's suit said it took 20 years for his fellow St. Lunatics to realize they had not been given credit for writing the songs because they believed Nelly when he assured them he would. The group also accused Nelly of taking credit for writing the songs and letting other people receive credit and income from those tracks.

The group members are asking for no less than $50 million. The lawsuit was filed three years after Nelly and one of the suit's plaintiffs, Ali Jones, got into a public spat about who was responsible for forming their rap group in the '90s.

"While (Nelly) demonstrated considerable skills as performer and vocalist, he lacked the songwriting creativity possessed by the other members of the St. Lunatics," the suit said, arguing the other group mates did "the majority of the songwriting and lyrical composition."

Nelly, whose legal name is Cornell Haynes Jr., grew up in St. Louis with the four St. Lunatics group mates listed in the suit: Jones, Torhi Harper, who performs under the name "Murphy Lee"; Robert Kyjuan; and Lavell Webb, who performs under the name "City Spud." The sixth group member, Corey "Slo' Down" Edwards, was not listed as a plaintiff.

The six men formed the rap group in 1993, the suit said, and worked for four years to "get a foothold in the music industry." The group found their first commercial success in 1997 with the song "Give Me What You Got," one of the eight songs listed in the lawsuit.

The seven other tracks named in the lawsuit are “Steal the Show”; “Thicky Thick Girl”; “Wrap Something/Sumden”; “Batter Up”; “Go”; "Iz U"; and “Country Grammar."

BMG Songs Inc. penned a record deal with Nelly in 2000, the suit said, and the same year also signed with the St. Lunatics.

The suit says the St. Lunatics members began writing songs for Nelly's first album because it was set to be released before the group's first record. The four group mates said they "provided all of the lyrics" for the songs, while Nelly provided "some lyrical arrangement and writing and also vocal performances."

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

Nelly's debut 17-song album, "Country Grammar," was a huge success. Released in June 2000, it has sold more than 10 million copies. A year after it was released, the St. Lunatics released its first album, "Free City," which eventually went platinum.

The group claimed they relied on Nelly's promise that he would give them credit and a portion of the income brought in by the songs' distribution. Every time they asked the rapper about their publishing credit and royalties, Nelly "would assure them as 'friends' he would never prevent them from receiving the financial success they were entitled to as writers," the suit said.

They had not pursued legal action because they believed he would make good on his promise, the group said.

But they hired an attorney in 2021, who reached out to music corporation Universal Music Group Inc. asking for the royalties they said they were owed. The request was forwarded to Nelly, who the suit said denied their claims of joint authorship.

Nelly's representation could not immediately be reached.

The St. Lunatics disbanded more than 10 years ago. Harper and Jones now live in Atlanta, Cleveland still lives in St. Louis and Webb resides in St. Charles, Missouri.

The group's lawyer, Gail Walton, could not be reached for comment.

Other defendants in the suit include Universal Music Group, Inc.; Universal Music Publishing Group; BMG Songs Inc.; Kobalt Music Publishing; and Hipgnosis Songs Group LLC.

The lawsuit was filed a little more than a month after Nelly made headlines for his arrest while collecting his winnings at the Hollywood Casino & Hotel St. Louis.

Photos: Nelly's Black and White Ball returns to St. Louis in 2023 after hiatus

React