St. Lunatics Are Suing Nelly For Copyright Infringement
St. Lunatics Are Suing Nelly For Copyright Infringement. The St. Lunatics, a hip-hop group from St. Louis, Missouri, has recently made headlines for taking legal action against one of their members, Nelly. The lawsuit revolves around uncredited contributions that the St. Lunatics claim to have made to Nelly’s successful music career. This legal battle highlights the complex nature of collaborations in the music industry and raises questions about giving credit where it is due.
Background of St. Lunatics’ Uncredited Contributions
St. Lunatics Are Suing Nelly For Copyright Infringement.
The St. Lunatics rose to fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s with hits like “Gimme What Ya Got” and “Midwest Swing.”
As Nelly’s solo career took off with chart-topping singles like “Hot in Herre” and “Dilemma,” things went south. Some members of the St. Lunatics felt that their contributions to Nelly’s success were not being acknowledged.
They claim to have played a significant role in shaping Nelly’s sound and style, yet were not given proper credit for their work. According to People, the four former members of the rap group want songwriting credit.
Former members Ali, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, and Lavell Webb have filed a copyright infringement complaint.
The complaint was filed in a New York court on September 18, 2024.
Legal Battle: St. Lunatics Vs. Nelly
Cornell “Nelly” Hayes, Ali, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, and Lavell are childhood friends. In 1993, they formed the hip-hop group St. Lunatics.
The legal battle between the St. Lunatics and Nelly centers around copyright infringement and breach of contract. The group contends it is entitled to royalties and recognition for its contributions to Nelly’s songs and albums.
St. Lunatic members claim Nelly “manipulated” them into believing they would be compensated. However, they say they were not compensated for their contributions to the 2000 album “Country Grammar.”
As stated by BET, Country Grammar spent five weeks at the top of Billboard 200.
In addition, St. Lunatic members shared,
“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 lawsuit stated. “Unfortunately, plaintiffs, reasonably believing that their friend and former band member would never steal credit for writing the original compositions, did not initially pursue any legal remedies.”
Also, St. Lunatic members want songwriting credit for “Thicky Thick Girl,” “Batter Up,” and “Wrap Sumden.”
To make matters worse,
They said that during and after the album’s recording session, Nelly “privately and publicly acknowledged that plaintiffs were the lyric writers” and “promised to ensure that plaintiffs received writing and publishing credit.” Decades later, in 2020, the St. Lunatics members say they “discovered that Nelly had been lying to them the entire time.”
“Despite repeatedly promising plaintiffs that they would receive full recognition and credit… it eventually became clear that defendant Haynes had no intention of providing the plaintiffs with any such credit or recognition,” the suit continued.
At this time, it is unclear where Nelly stands on the lawsuit filed by his former bandmates.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time former band members have sued for copyright infringement.
Collaborations are a common practice in music, with artists often working together to create hit songs. However, disputes over credit and royalties can sour relationships and tarnish reputations.
The outcome of this legal battle could set a precedent for how future collaborations are handled, influencing how artists collaborate and share credit in the future.
As the St. Lunatics and Nelly continue to navigate their legal dispute, the music industry is watching closely
Only time will tell how this lawsuit will shape how artists collaborate and credit each other.
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