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St. Lunatics

{{Short description|American hip hop group}}

{{More citations needed|date=September 2021}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| background = group_or_band

| name = St. Lunatics

| image =

| caption =

| origin = St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.{{cite web |title=St. Lunatics Biography, Songs, & Albums |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/st-lunatics-mn0000162074/biography |website=AllMusic.com |access-date=July 14, 2022}}

| genre = Hip hop

| years_active = 1993–2010

| label = {{hlist|Derrty|Universal}}

| spinoffs = Ali & Gipp

| website =

| past_members =

}}

St. Lunatics were an American hip hop group formed in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1993. The group consisted of childhood friends Nelly, Ali, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, City Spud, and Slo Down.{{cite web |url=https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/music/kevin-johnson/st-lunatics-feud-signals-an-end-to-st-louis-original-hip-hop-dynasty/article_ddbaff17-c0c5-5368-aca8-5c398f07c2cb.html |title=St. Lunatics feud signals an end to St. Louis' original hip-hop dynasty |date=February 8, 2021 |publisher=STLToday |access-date=February 8, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208190606/https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/music/kevin-johnson/st-lunatics-feud-signals-an-end-to-st-louis-original-hip-hop-dynasty/article_ddbaff17-c0c5-5368-aca8-5c398f07c2cb.html |archive-date=February 8, 2021 }}{{cite web |url=http://1vibe.net/tag/city-free-st-lunatics-album/ |title=City Free St Lunatics Album |publisher=1VIBE.NET |access-date=November 16, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008004520/http://1vibe.net/tag/city-free-st-lunatics-album/ |archive-date=October 8, 2011 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSjwnHBOeN8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/vSjwnHBOeN8 |archive-date=December 22, 2021 |url-status=live|title=St.Lunatics- Get Low to Da Flo |publisher=YouTube |date=April 30, 2009 |access-date=November 16, 2010}}{{cbignore}}

Their first single, "Gimme What U Got", gained popularity in 1996. In 2000, the group signed with Universal Records. Their debut album, Free City, was released after Nelly's solo breakthrough, achieving Platinum status in the U.S. Members of St. Lunatics pursued solo careers, and Nelly opened a music production school. An anticipated album in 2009, City Free, was never released. City Spud served a prison term for a robbery-related crime and later performed with Nelly at the 2023 Grammy Awards.

History

After graduating from high school, the band members were working day jobs in the service industry or attending college.{{cite web | last=Roberts | first=Randall | title=Bad Rap – St. Louis Metro News – St. Louis | website=Riverfront Times | date=August 8, 2001 | url=https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/bad-rap-2470842 | access-date=February 6, 2023}} St. Lunatics' first local independent hit was "Gimme What U Got", released in 1996. In 1997, DJ Kut on the Beat FM started playing the single locally, generating interest in the group. In 2000, Nelly was signed to Universal Records, followed by the rest of the group.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}} While Nelly was working on his solo album Country Grammar, City Spud was arrested and sentenced to ten years in prison for robbery.{{cite web |title=Former St. Lunatic pays state for prison room and board |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2002/04/22/daily89.html |publisher=St. Louis Business Journal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020531005845/https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2002/04/22/daily89.html |archive-date=May 31, 2002 |date=April 26, 2002}} After Nelly's breakthrough success in 2000, St. Lunatics released their debut album, Free City. In 2001, the singles "Summer in the City" and "Midwest Swing" were released. Free City was certified Platinum in the United States and Gold in Canada.{{Citation needed|date=September 2022}}

In 2002, Ali issued his solo album Heavy Starch while Murphy Lee published Murphy's Law in 2003. Murphy later launched his own label, UC ME Entertainment.{{cite web |title=Free man Murphy Lee returns with "You See Me" |url=https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/music/kevin-johnson/free-man-murphy-lee-returns-with-you-see-me/article_f98d4d1e-451b-55f7-a60f-495186846bca.html |publisher=STLToday |date=December 10, 2009}} Nelly went on to have a successful solo career and in 2011, he partnered with St. Louis-based Vatterott College to open a music production school in downtown St. Louis, called Ex'treme Institute (E.I.).{{cite web |author1=Tim Bryant |title=Nelly and Vatterott to open recording school |url=https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/music/nelly-and-vatterott-to-open-recording-school/article_860d1a73-5f21-57b5-a931-c7fcb39e0281.html |website=STLToday |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111205210421/http://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/music/nelly-and-vatterott-to-open-recording-school/article_860d1a73-5f21-57b5-a931-c7fcb39e0281.html |archive-date=December 5, 2011 |date=August 24, 2011}}

In 2009, St. Lunatics were reportedly working on a new album, City Free, to be released that summer.{{Cite web |last=Muhammad |first=Latifah|title=Nelly and St. Lunatics End Hiatus With 'City Free' |url=https://theboombox.com/nelly-and-st-lunatics-end-hiatus-with-city-free/ |access-date=March 24, 2023 |website=The Boombox|date=September 24, 2010 }} The record was later postponed until 2011.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}} A song titled "St. Lunatics" was leaked in early March 2009, along with "Get Low 2 Da Flo", which was produced by Play-N-Skillz. The first official single released from the album was "Money Talks", featuring rapper Birdman.{{cite web |author1=Kenya Vaughn |title=St. Lunatics shoot video for first 'City Free' single |url=https://www.stlamerican.com/entertainment/living_it/st-lunatics-shoot-video-for-first-city-free-single/article_36afb421-7450-57d8-bc13-7160e6446198.html |publisher=St. Louis American |date=April 20, 2010}} The second single was "Polo".{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}} The record was never released, however.

After his release from prison,{{cite news|title=St. Lunatic City Spud back from jail on the music trail |url=https://www.stlamerican.com/entertainment/living_it/st-lunatic-city-spud-back-from-jail-on-the-music-trail/article_41f0af0e-2890-5aac-a75d-cf0d1abe31a5.html |website=stlamerican.com |date=September 3, 2008 |access-date=April 23, 2023}} City Spud issued the solo mixtape Twelve-12, in 2010.{{Cite web |title=Twelve12 MidwestMixtapes.com Your Number One Source for FREE Mixtapes |url=http://midwestmixtapes.com/2010/twelve12/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100907020656/http://midwestmixtapes.com/2010/twelve12/ |archive-date=September 7, 2010 |access-date=August 28, 2010}}

In 2023, City Spud performed "Hot in Herre" with Nelly at the 2023 Grammy Awards for the 50 Years of Hip-Hop' showcase.{{cite magazine |last=Lamarre |first=Carl |date=February 6, 2023 |title=2023 Grammys Celebrates 50 Years of Hip-Hop with an All-Star Performance |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/2023-grammys-celebrate-hip-hop-50th-anniversary-all-star-set-1235213508/ |access-date=February 6, 2023 |magazine=Billboard}}

On September 19, 2024, the group filed a copyright infringement suit against Nelly for unpaid royalties and lack of credit on two albums—Nelly's Country Grammar and the group's Free City—seeking $50 million from the defendant.{{Cite web |date=September 19, 2024 |title=Nelly sued for at least $50m over allegedly not crediting former St. Lunatics bandmates on hit album Country Grammar |url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/nelly-sued-for-at-least-50m-for-allegedly-not-crediting-former-st-lunatics-bandmates-on-hit-album-country-grammar/ |access-date=September 21, 2024 |website=Music Business Worldwide}}{{Cite web |last=Horowitz |first=Steven J. |date=September 19, 2024 |title=Nelly Sued by Former Group St. Lunatics for Uncredited Work on His Debut Album 'Country Grammar' |url=https://variety.com/2024/music/news/nelly-sued-st-lunatics-copyright-infringement-country-grammar-1236150590/ |access-date=September 21, 2024 |website=Variety}}{{Cite web |last=Donahue |first=Bill |date=September 19, 2024 |title=Nelly Hit with Copyright Lawsuit Over Decades-Old Album by Ex-Bandmates: 'Lying the Entire Time' |url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/nelly-sued-st-lunatics-copyright-lawsuit-country-grammar-credits-royalties/ |access-date=September 21, 2024 |website=Billboard}}

=City Spud's legal issues=

Lavell Webb, known as City Spud, was a small-time marijuana dealer as a young adult. After quitting his job at a McDonald's in St. Louis County, he had little money. Webb and a conspirator came up with the plan to pretend to sell marijuana to someone, intending to rob them instead.

On the night of April 15, 1999, during a robbery, their victim ended up getting shot five times in the back, though he survived. Webb was charged with first-degree robbery, one count of first-degree assault, and two counts of armed criminal action. Despite only being a first-time offender, he was sentenced to ten years in prison.{{cite web | url=https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/bad-rap-2470842 | title=Bad Rap | work=Riverfront Times | first=Randall | last=Roberts | publisher=Village Voice Media | date=August 8, 2001 | accessdate=July 7, 2012 }}

Discography

=Studio albums=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Album details

! colspan="3"| Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2"| Certifications
(sales threshold)

style="font-size:smaller;"

! width="30"| US
{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=st. lunatics|chart=Billboard 200}}|title=St. Lunatics Album & Song Chart History – Billboard 200|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Company|access-date=November 3, 2010}}

! width="30"| US R&B
{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=st. lunatics|chart=R&B/Hip-Hop Albums B}}|title=St. Lunatics Album & Song Chart History – R&B/Hip-Hop Albums|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Company|access-date=November 3, 2010}}

! width="30"| CAN
{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=st. lunatics|chart=Canadian Albums}}|title=St. Lunatics Album & Song Chart History – Canadian Albums|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Company|access-date=November 3, 2010}}

2001

| align="left"| Free City

  • Release date: June 5, 2001
  • Label: Universal

| 3

| 1

| 18

| align="left"|

  • RIAA: Platinum{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=st.+lunatics#search_section|title=RIAA – Gold & Platinum – May 19, 2020: St. Lunatics certified albums|publisher=Recording Industry Association of America|access-date=May 19, 2020}}
  • MC: Gold{{cite web|url=https://musiccanada.com/gold-platinum/?_gp_search=st.%20lunatics|title=Music Canada Searchable Database|date=July 12, 2001 |publisher=Music Canada|access-date=May 19, 2020}}

=Compilations=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Album details

! colspan="2"| Peak chart positions

style="font-size:smaller;"

! width="40"| US

! width="40"| US R&B

2006

| align="left"| Who's the Boss

  • Release date: February 21, 2006
  • Label: Fast Life Music

| 114

| 28

=Singles=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
rowspan="2"| Year

! rowspan="2"| Single

! colspan="7"| Peak chart positions

! rowspan="2"| Certification

! rowspan="2"| Album

style="font-size:smaller;"

! width="40"| US
{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=st. lunatics|chart=all}}|title=St. Lunatics Album & Song Chart History – Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Company|access-date=November 3, 2010}}

! width="40"| US R&B
{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=st. lunatics|chart=R&B/Hip-Hop Songs}}|title=St. Lunatics Album & Song Chart History – R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Nielsen Company|access-date=November 3, 2010}}

! width="40"| AUS
{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=St%2E+Lunatics+and+Nelly&titel=Batter+Up&cat=s|title=St. Lunatics and Nelly – Batter Up (Song)|website=Charts.nz|access-date=October 3, 2022}}

! width="40"| GER

! width="40"| NED

! width="40"| SWI

! width="40"| UK
{{Cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/singles-chart/20010909/7501/|title=Official Singles Chart Top 100 09 September 2001 – 15 September 2001|website=Official Charts Company|date=September 2001|access-date=October 3, 2022}}

rowspan="1"| 1997

| align="left"| "Gimme What U Got"

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

|

| align="left" rowspan="1"| Who's the Boss

rowspan="2"| 2001

| align="left"| "Midwest Swing"

| 88

| 41

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

|

| align="left" rowspan="2"| Free City

align="left"| "Batter Up"
(featuring Nelly)

| —

| 76

| 19

| 79

| 31

| 75

| 28

|

  • ARIA: Gold{{cite certification|region=Australia|artist=St. Lunatics|type=single|certyear=2002|access-date=October 2, 2022}}
rowspan="1"| 2010

| align="left"| "Money Talks" (featuring Birdman)

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

|

| align="left" rowspan="1"| non-album single

colspan="11" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart

References

{{Reflist}}

{{St. Lunatics}}

{{Nelly}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Musical groups established in 1993

Category:Musical groups from St. Louis

Category:Midwest hip-hop groups

Category:American hip-hop groups