Isaac Hayes’ Estate to Sue Donald Trump Campaign
Hold on! The family of late soul singer and writer Isaac Hayes is Coming for the Trump campaign.
UPDATE
The deadline has passed, so as of 5:59PM EST The Estate of @IsaacHayes has filed a lawsuit in United States Federal Court, Northern District against Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump, the RNC, Donald J Trump for President, Inc., and a several other parties for copyright… pic.twitter.com/faDMhKkE9i
— Isaac Hayes III (@IsaacHayes3) August 17, 2024
Isaac Hayes’ estate has initiated legal proceedings against the campaign of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump for the “continued unauthorized use” of the Sam & Dave song “Hold On, I’m Comin’,” as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Isaac Hayes’ son, Isaac Hayes III, made the announcement on social media, stating that the Trump campaign utilized the song, co-written by Isaac Hayes, at its rallies from 2022 to the present year. The family is pursuing a $3 million payment for licensing fees, according to the report.
The song was reportedly used as recently as August 9 at a rally in Montana. The Hayes family asserts that Trump’s campaign was “apparently aware” that they lacked permission to use the song, as indicated in a legal letter obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.
The official Isaac Hayes account on the social media platform X posted,
We the family of @isaachayes Isaac Hayes Enterprises, represented by Walker & Associates, are suing @realDonaldTrump and his campaign for 134 counts copyright infringement for the unauthorized use of the song “Hold On I’m Coming” at campaign rallies from 2022-2024.
We demand… pic.twitter.com/GOBLz7ejYL
— Isaac Hayes III (@IsaacHayes3) August 11, 2024
The family has demanded the cessation of use, removal of all related videos, a public disclaimer, and payment of $3 million in licensing fees by August 16, 2024. Should the Trump campaign fail to comply, the family has indicated that additional legal measures will be pursued.
Isaac Hayes III further elaborated on the lawsuit in a post on his Instagram account, expressing that “Donald Trump epitomizes a lack of integrity and class, not only through his continuous use of my father’s music without permission but also through his history of sexual abuse against women and his racist rhetoric.”
