Nelly isn’t holding back in his legal fight with former St. Lunatics bandmate Ali Jones, taking a no-nonsense approach to a lawsuit Ali filed claiming co-ownership of some of Nelly’s biggest hits.
The rapper, whose legal name is Cornell Haynes Jr., has filed a motion for sanctions, alleging that Ali’s case is not only outdated but also riddled with legal errors.
Ali, who performed with Nelly in the early 2000s, sued in September 2024, claiming he was owed royalties and credit for tracks like “Country Grammar” and “Batter Up.”
But Nelly’s legal team argues that Ali’s claims are years too late.
They pointed to a key piece of evidence: a 2021 letter from Nelly’s attorneys expressly rejecting Ali’s ownership claims, triggering a three-year statute of limitations under copyright law. By filing in 2024, Nelly’s lawyers say, Ali has already missed his chance.
What’s more, Nelly’s team is calling foul on Ali’s amended complaint, which omits mention of the 2021 letter—an omission they describe as a deliberate attempt to dodge the law. “Plaintiff’s counsel and Plaintiff have engaged in sanctionable conduct by omitting the dates of the express repudiation,” Nelly’s attorneys wrote in court filings.
Ali’s case doesn’t stop at royalties; he also accuses Nelly of copyright infringement and unjust enrichment. But Nelly’s defense team says these claims are just as shaky. Legally, co-owners of a copyright—if Ali were considered one—cannot sue each other for infringement. As for the unjust enrichment claim, Nelly’s lawyers argue it’s preempted by federal copyright law, making it irrelevant in court.
To top it off, Nelly’s lawyers want the court to hit Ali and his legal team with sanctions, including paying Nelly’s legal fees. They called the lawsuit “objectively frivolous” and said it has caused unnecessary legal expenses for their client. “Even the barest factual investigation and legal research would have revealed that the claims were barred,” the motion states.
The latest courtroom showdown marks a bitter chapter in the once-close relationship between Nelly and Ali, who worked together as part of the St. Lunatics. Now, their battle isn’t over beats but legal filings, as Nelly pushes for the lawsuit to be dismissed and Ali’s team penalized for what he calls a baseless case.
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