Isaac Hayes' Estate Sues Donald Trump's Campaign For Unauthorized Use Of 'Hold On I'm Coming,' Demands $3M
Isaac Hayes' family say they are taking legal action against Donald Trump and his campaign for ongoing unauthorized use of Sam & Dave's hit song "Hold On, I'm Coming," (1996) co-written by the late soul icon.
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On Sunday, Isaac Hayes III, the son of the Grammy and Oscar Award winning artist, announced on social media that the family had filed a lawsuit over the Trump campaign's use of the Sam & Dave track at its rallies from 2022 to the present year.
"We the family of @_isaachayes Isaac Hayes Enterprises, represented by Walker & Associates, are suing Donald Trump and his campaign for 134 counts of copyright infringement for the unauthorized use of the song 'Hold On, I'm Coming' at campaign rallies from 2022-2024," the official Isaac Hayes account shared on X (formerly Twitter), with a message endorsed by the Hayes Family.
The message continued, "We demand the cessation of use, removal of all related videos, a public disclaimer, and payment of $3 million in licensing fees by August 16, 2024. Failure to comply will result in further legal action."
On his Instagram account Sunday, Isaac Hayes III provided more direct reasons for seeking to separate his father's work from the Trump campaign.
"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. This behavior will no longer be tolerated, and we will take swift action to put an end to it," Hayes III posted.
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"We stand in solidarity with all musicians whose work has been co-opted without consent by divisive political campaigns," he added. "A musical performer's art is a reflection of their soul, not a tool for promoting hatred or bigotry. It's time for all artists to unite and demand respect for their creative legacies."