NEWS
Nelly has been sued by his former group the St. Lunatics over what they claim is uncredited work on his Country Grammar album.
The group, consisting of Ali Jones (Ali), Torhi Harper (Murphy Lee), Robert Kyjuan (Kyjuan) and Nelly’s brother Lavell Webb (City Spud), filed the copyright infringement suit against Nelly on Wednesday (September 18).
The claim, which was made in New York Federal Court, asserts that the superstar didn’t credit them for their work on his 2000 album.
The claim revolves around their publishing and writing on the album.
This isn’t the first time St. Lunatics have spoken out against Nelly’s alleged impropriety regarding their artistic contributions to their work.
In 2023, Ali vowed he’d never perform with Nelly ever again because of money he owed the band.
Ali Jones sat down with VladTV for an interview in August of that year and opened up about Nelly allegedly going for months at a time without paying him what he was owed.
“I’ll say like it could be $90,000 or $70,000,” he estimated. “When that conversation happens I’ll get a check. It’ll be $13,000. Now you’ll be fucked up now because what is this $13,000 for? You owe me $91,000.”
He concluded: “What did you pay me for? At the end of it, it’s gonna be $66,000 because he’s far behind on the payments.”
The St. Louis native blasted Nelly for the lack of communication on his end and then blamed an outsider for trying to divide Nelly from the group.
Ali went on to declare that he’s “never” going to reunite with Nelly or hit the stage to perform with him again in the future.
“A tiger ain’t never gon’ change his stripes,” he said. “I watched it for 20 years and I’m the butt of the joke because it took me 20 years to realize it. I could put a never, ever behind it will I ever hit the stage or do anything with him.”
He added: “He has no real raw good intentions for others. Not for us and we’ve all sat together and searched hard to try to find a time that didn’t benefit him. He got $50 million, I’m happy for him. That’s what he wants. He wants a billion.”
The $50 million Ali was referencing is the reported figure Nelly was paid for selling half of his music catalog back in June. The deal included eight albums spanning a string of hits, a lot of which played a crucial role in elevating 21st-century Hip Hop and R&B.
Sienna Spiro has revealed that she struggled with deep insecurities about her body while growing up and often wore baggy clothing to cover herself when she began sharing her music.
The Die on this Hill singer says her father introduced her to legendary stars such as Barbra Streisand and Ava Gardner, whose glamorous style inspired her to picture a more confident side of herself.
She said trying out her now recognizable hairstyle became a major moment for her, explaining to Variety: “The first time I experimented with the hair, I felt like a more polished and powerful version of myself.” Her stage look helps her feel confident, particularly when she is tired or experiencing period pain. “There are days when changing my hair from how I normally wear it, or putting on my boots, helps me enter a different mindset and feel more self assured.”
The 20 year old artist also shared that she has experienced vocal nodules since she was young, describing them as both a positive and a negative because they create her signature raspy sound while also placing considerable pressure on her voice.
She remembered: “I did not receive an official diagnosis until two years ago, but my voice has always been incredibly raspy. I believe I may have had them for most of my life, or at least since I was very young.”
She admitted: “They can be both a gift and a struggle. I really like the character they bring to my voice, and sometimes they prevent me from reaching certain sounds, which can actually create something interesting. However, I was almost unable to speak for an entire year. The year before last, I barely talked at all. It was extremely difficult and made me feel very alone.”
Away from the stage, Sienna looks completely different without her dramatic hairstyle and high heels. She explained that adopting her performance persona often helps create some space between herself and the feelings that inspired her songs.
She said: “I do not really censor myself, which can be helpful but can also create problems. Still, honesty is the only way I know how to write, and being myself is the only way I can show up.”
“I am simply a 20 year old woman, and there are mornings when I wake up on my period and still have to get onstage and perform. Changing my everyday hairstyle or slipping into my boots allows me to become someone slightly different, giving me more confidence and some emotional distance from how I felt when those songs were written.”
She added: “High heels are not something I would ever choose to wear in my normal life.”
