Nelly has tapped Metro Boomin for a special project.
On Sunday (Dec. 14), at the Black and White Ball in St. Louis, Nelly had an exciting announcement for fans.
"St. Lunatics 2026 executive produced by Metro Boomin. St. Louis, we in the building, we turning up 2026 one time!" he said in a clip from the night.
The arrival of a new St. Lunatics album is significant for the group, particularly due to Nelly and Ali’s years-long beef, which stems from issues with money, royalties, and group credit. Their dispute culminated in a lawsuit, which Ali filed on behalf of the St. Lunatics, accusing Nelly of withholding royalties for the contributions the group made to his debut album, Country Grammar. Soon after it was filed, St. Lunatics members Murphy Lee, City Spud, and Kyjuan pulled out, claiming they didn’t consent to the lawsuit. Ali later dropped the suit in April 2025.
The only album the St. Lunatics ever released was 2001’s Free City, which peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and is certified platinum by the RIAA. The group encompassed six members, Nelly, Ali, Murphy Lee, Kyjuan, City Spud, and Slo Down, though it’s unclear who will be involved in the new album.
Metro has been riding high after the release of his joint album with Future, 2024’s We Don’t Trust You—which instigated Kendrick Lamar and Drake's feud—and We Still Don’t Trust You, both of which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. This year also saw the release of the St. Louis producer’s tribute to 2010s Atlanta hip-hop, the mixtape A Futuristic Summa, which spawned the fan favorite “Take Me Thru Dere” featuring Quavo, Breskii, and YK Niece.
