Just A Dream hitmaker Nelly has been dragged to court by his former bandmates, who claim they were not giving songwriting credit for some songs on the rapper’s debut album, Country Grammer.
The complainants reportedly filed their case in a New York court on September 18. They include Cornell Haynes, Ali Jones, Torhi Harper, and Robert Kyjuan Cleveland.
According to the suit, Nelly did not fulfill his promise to give them credit on eight of his songs but allowed other individuals within his circle to receive credit and publishing income for the work.
Ali Jones, Murphy Lee, and Robert Kyjuan are said to be childhood friends of Nelly, who all formed the group St. Lunatics in 1993 in St. Louis. The complainants indicated that they did most of the group’s songwriting, while Nelly’s talent was performing.
Though they said Nelly provided “some lyrical arrangement and writing,” they claim ownership of the lyrics to some songs on the Country Grammer album including titles like Steal the Show, Thicky Thick Girl, Country Grammar, Batter Up, Go and Gimme What You Got.
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The suit, among other things, said Nelly never denied the fact that they [the complainants] “wrote and arranged the lyrics,” of the songs in question. They also claim video of their recording sessions.
According to the suit, Nelly’s conduct “has deprived, and continues to deprive” the plaintiff of any income, monies, royalties, or other form of remuneration from the distribution, use, commercialization, sale, public performance, or other exploitation of the selected song on the album.
Country Grammar was released in 2000, and reportedly sold more than 10 million copies. The plaintiffs also released a studio album titled Free City, which was released in 2001, and also did some 1 million sales.
