Just when it seemed the legal drama between Nelly and St. Lunatics couldn’t get any weirder, a new twist has entered the case. According to Billboard, three of the four members of the group listed as plaintiffs in a lawsuit filed against Nelly for back pay have demanded to have their names taken off the suit, which they say was filed against their wishes.
The lawsuit, filed in September by Ali, City Spud, Kyjuan, and Murphy Lee, alleged that Nelly never properly credited his bandmates on hit songs such as “Country Grammar,” “Steal the Show,” “Thicky Thick Girl,” and “Wrap Sumden.” According to the suit, they were entitled to royalties from those songs they never received; they supposedly waited over 20 years to file suit due to their longstanding friend with Nelly.
On Sunday, October 6, however, friction within the group was thrown into doubt when Kyjuan, Lee, and Spud joined Nelly onstage at the American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special to perform the group’s standout songs like “Air Force Ones” and Lee’s “What Da Hook Gon Be.” Nelly even joked about it on Instagram, writing, “STL INVADES @amas …!!! An anyone who has a problem with that ‘Sue’ me…!!!”
Per Billboard, Nelly’s attorney N. Scott Rosenblum, wrote back to the lawyer who initially filed the suit, Gail M. Walton, to inform her that the three members of St. Lunatics “informed me that they did not authorize you to include them as plaintiffs… They are hereby demanding you remove their names forthwith.” Complying would leave Ali as the sole remaining plaintiff.
It’s probably just a coincidence that the suit was filed after Nelly sold half of his publishing for $50 million last July. We’re sure that has absolutely nothing to do with it.