A judge ordered a former St. Lunatics member to pay Nelly’s legal fees after dismissing a copyright lawsuit tied to the rapper’s blockbuster debut album, “Country Grammar,” on May 28.
Nelly’s Getting Paid
The lawsuit, filed by Ali Jones in 2024, sought at least $50 million in damages and alleged he was denied proper songwriting credit on material connected to the 2000 release. However, the court threw out the case and later ruled that Nelly was entitled to recover attorney fees.
According to reports, the judge found the claims were brought decades after the album’s release and determined the lawsuit lacked legal merit. The ruling marks another victory for Nelly in a legal battle stemming from one of the most successful hip-hop albums of the early 2000s.
Jones alleged that he and other members were the “authors, creators, composers, writers and copyright owners” of lyrics on eight songs from the album, according to court filings.
The lawsuit initially listed Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, and City Spud as involved parties, Billboard reported.
However, those members later distanced themselves after the case escalated, saying they never authorized the lawsuit, Music Business Worldwide reported.
Nelly’s legal team argued that the action came decades too late under the Copyright Act’s three-year statute of limitations, according to HOT 97.
Jones voluntarily dismissed the lawsuit in April 2025, Billboard reported.
Nelly’s attorneys then pushed for sanctions against Jones’ lawyer Precious Felder Gates, calling it a “vexatious” lawsuit that “should never have been brought,” according to court filings.
The court noted it should have been “patently obvious” that the claims could not proceed.
Billboard reported that the judge found Gates had effectively “doubled down” on the legal obstacles.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger concluded Gates had “vexatiously protracted the proceedings in bad faith,” according to the ruling.
U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero has now ordered Gates to pay $67,586 in attorney fees, according to Billboard.
The sanction falls on the attorney herself rather than Ali Jones.
The amount covered more than 150 hours of work by Nelly’s counsel, which originally requested $84,482.50 for 153.7 hours, according to Billboard and Music Business Worldwide reporting.
Gates objected that too many hours were billed and that descriptions were vague.
She also challenged clerical tasks and high hourly rates.
However, Judge Marrero found the rates were “reasonable and accords with rates charged by other attorneys with similar experience handling similar matters,” according to the decision.
The court applied a 20 percent reduction, including 10 percent for vague billing descriptions and 10 percent for administrative work. The breakdown shows Kenneth Freundlich, Nelly’s attorney, receiving $12,006, Grossbardt at $45,080, and Rosenberg at $10,500.
“Courts have limited patience for litigation used as a weapon rather than a remedy,” Freundlich said. “Frivolous litigation isn’t free.”
“Country Grammar” launched Nelly to stardom after its June 27, 2000, release. It held the top spot on the Billboard 200 for five straight weeks, Billboard reported. Hits from the album included “Hot in Herre” and “Dilemma.”
