Nelly Performs With St. Lunatics As Ali Stays Sidelined After Legal Battle

March 15, 2026

Nelly brings the St. Lunatics back to St. Louis for a major halftime performance, but Ali’s legal loss keeps him off the stage.

Nelly and the St. Lunatics are stepping back on stage for their first major performance together in years, but there’s a notable absence from the lineup.

The group will take the halftime stage at the St. Louis Battlehawks home opener on March 28 at The Dome at America’s Center, featuring Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, City Spud, and Slo Down.

What’s missing is Ali Jones, the original member who’s been locked in a legal battle with Nelly over royalties and songwriting credits.

The tension between Nelly and Ali runs deep.

Ali filed a $50 million lawsuit alleging that Nelly withheld proper compensation and credit for tracks from the group’s breakthrough work.

The other St. Lunatics members quickly distanced themselves from the case, requesting removal from the lawsuit entirely.

As AllHipHop exclusively reported, a federal judge ultimately sided with Nelly, dismissing the case and even sanctioning Ali’s legal team for what the court called a frivolous claim.

That legal war is most likely why Ali won’t be performing with his childhood friends this month.

The reunion marks a major moment for St. Louis Hip-Hop culture. These guys helped to build the city’s rap reputation back in the ’90s, and now they’re bringing that legacy back to their hometown crowd.

The performance comes as part of the UFL’s “Spirit of St. Louis” Kickoff Weekend celebration.

What makes this comeback even bigger is what’s happening behind the scenes.

Nelly has been working on reuniting the St. Lunatics for a full studio album, their first project together in over 25 years.

Metro Boomin is executive producing the album, which is expected to drop in 2026. That’s a serious lineup of talent coming together to create something fresh while honoring their legacy.

The Battlehawks game kicks off at 7 P.M. CT on ESPN, and the first 10,000 fans will get special merchandise as part of a stadium-wide “Blue Out.”

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