Isaac Hayes' Family Threatens Trump with Lawsuit Over Unauthorized Use of Hold On, I'm Coming

The family of the late soul musician Isaac Hayes has threatened to take legal action against former U.S. President Donald Trump if he does not cease the use of Hayes' iconic song, "Hold On, I'm Coming," at his campaign rallies. The dispute has escalated with the demand for $3 million in licensing fees for the unauthorized use of the song since 2022.

A letter from Hayes' family, made public on social media, has brought attention to the alleged illegal public performance of "Hold On, I'm Coming" at various Trump campaign events. The family's attorney, James Walker, accused the Trump campaign of authorizing the use of the song without the necessary authorization from the copyright holder. The letter emphasized that despite multiple requests to refrain from such unauthorized use, the Trump campaign continued to feature the song at its rallies.

Financial Demands

According to Hayes' family, the song has been played 134 times at Trump campaign events over the past two years. In light of this, the family is seeking $3 million in licensing fees, which the letter described as a "very discounted fee." Moreover, the family cautioned that should legal action become necessary, they would pursue a significantly higher payment, potentially starting at $150,000 per unauthorized use, along with attorneys' fees.

In addition to the financial demand, the Hayes family has requested that the Trump campaign publicly acknowledges that it did not obtain authorization from Hayes' estate to use the song. This request includes releasing a statement on the campaign's social media accounts to clarify the lack of authorization.

Trump Campaign's Silence

As of now, the Trump campaign has not responded publicly to the allegations or the financial and legal demands made by "Hold On, I'm Coming"'s copyright holders. This lack of response has added further attention to the ongoing dispute between the late Isaac Hayes' family and the Trump campaign.

This is not the first instance where a political campaign has faced backlash for using an artist's work without proper authorization. Recently, Celine Dion's representatives also denounced the unauthorized use of her song "My Heart Will Go On" at a Trump rally, emphasizing that it lacked her permission.

Public Implications

The ongoing legal dispute between the Hayes family and the Trump campaign raises significant questions about the ethical use of music in a political context. The demand for substantial licensing fees and public acknowledgment of unauthorized use underscores the need for campaigns to seek proper clearance and authorization before incorporating artistic works into their events.