‘I’ll Never Do Anything with Him’: Nelly’s Former Friend Ali Claims He’s Owed Nearly $100K from Financial Dispute Over Publishing Credits on His Diamond ‘Country Grammar’ Album
Nelly and St. Lunatics rapper Ali are no closer to reaching a resolution today than they were two years ago, when their rift was revealed to the public.
He claims that Nelly repeatedly has failed to credit him for his contributions to his career and has yet to make good on payments for the $91,000 he claims he’s owed for writing the Grammy winner’s top-selling records.
Last month, Nelly sold a portion of his music catalog for $50 million. Ali said he has not seen a cent since the “Dilemma” artist secured the extra millions, nor does he expect to. “Why would we expect him to start being that person at 49?” said Ali in an interview with VladTV.
The two men, along with City Spud, Kyjuan, Murphy Lee and Slo’Down, made up the St. Louis rap group St. Lunatics, beginning in the late 90s. When Nelly found musical success in the early 2000s, so did the group. As a collective, they each reportedly helped write Nelly’s debut album, “Country Grammar,” which received two Grammy nominations. It was certified Diamond by the RIAA in 2016.
Related: Nelly Talks About the Everlasting Impact of Hip-Hop and Receiving the I Am Hip Hop Award
Ali admitted that Nelly’s solo publishing deal required him to write the majority of his songs, so he willingly accepted not being credited on the LP. He explained that he ultimately believed his friend would not short him financially. But the complete opposite allegedly took place. “He’s far behind on the payments,” said the “Batter Up” emcee.
The financial dispute, as well as claims that the St. Lunatics were hustled into a bad deal, are part of the reasons that Nelly has not been seen with his former longtime friends in well over a decade. To fans, that also explains the trajectory Nelly’s music took as well.
“It all makes sense now why the quality of Nelly music started to fall …..this is the hip hop history that I love,” wrote one person.
“Nelly was the person to sell the flow. Ali wrote flows that worked. The problem is that they didn’t work out the splits and did homeboy business,” wrote another.
And a third fan commented, “That’s exactly why friendship and business DO NOT mix .. Always get your writing credits and own your publishing!”
Ali claims there is no chance of him and Nelly reconciling. “Never. That tiger ain’t never gon’ change its stripes, ever,” he said, adding that he will never “ever hit the stage again with him, never or do with anything with him…He has no real, raw, good intentions, not for us, not for us … He’s gon’ always spoon feed you so he can always stay in control.”
In 2021, the two men traded barbs in since-deleted Instagram posts. For his part, Nelly disputed claims that he played a role in hindering Ali’s shot at a solo deal around 1999.