In a recent interview on VladTV, Murphy Lee shed light on the decision-making process behind St. Lunatics’ signing with Universal. Lee explained that the group received advice to join Universal due to their frontman, Nelly’s affiliation with the label at the time. The use of Nelly’s vocals became a significant factor in their choice, with perceived “threats” influencing their decision. Reflecting on the situation, Lee admitted they should have taken more time to explore other options.
Lee clarified, “We weren’t forced into it. It was a more natural progression, especially with the involvement of lawyers. They represented us and Nelly, so there was a consideration when he was shopping for a deal.” Allegedly, the group was informed that obtaining clearance for Nelly’s contributions might pose challenges if they pursued a different label. Lee continued, “It was suggested that we could explore other avenues, but there was a chance we might not get it cleared due to his immense popularity. We should have negotiated more, but our excitement led us straight into the deal.”
In 2021, Ali, another former member of St. Lunatics, accused Nelly of abandoning the group. Through social media, Ali claimed to have fought for Nelly’s verse on “Gimme What Ya Got” despite pressure from the label to remove it. Additionally, Ali revealed that he turned down a solo record deal to remain loyal to St. Lunatics. Expressing his disappointment, he stated, “I ended up helping him write… but got no credit!! Wow!! I got hustled!”
St. Lunatics
Nelly later responded to these allegations by saying, “There’s three people in this group that’s been a lunatic since day one: Nelly, Kyjuan, and City [Spud].” He explained, “We all went to school together. Alright? Cool. When we first started the Lunatics, Ali was not in this group. Stop me when I’m lying.” Nelly added, “When we was going around town making a name for ourselves, doing the car wash, performing at the talent shows at [colleges], that was us, that wasn’t Ali. Ali did not perform with us. Either he thought he was too good or he didn’t perform with us. Either way, he did not perform with us. Just factuals. Actual factuals.”
