Son of Issac Hayes sues Trump over unauthorized use of ‘Hold On, I’m Comin’' at campaign rallies

The son of the late music legend Isaac Hayes has filed a lawsuit against former President Donald Trump and his associates for unauthorized use of the iconic song “Hold On, I’m Comin’.” The legal action follows claims that the Trump campaign repeatedly played the song at rallies and events over the past two years without proper authorization.

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Isaac Hayes III, who co-wrote the 1966 hit with David Porter, expressed his frustration over the situation in an interview with sister station WSBTV on Monday.

“I think they need to rethink the ability for politicians to use the music of musical artists,” Hayes said, emphasizing the need for stricter regulations on the use of copyrighted music in political campaigns.

The lawsuit, filed by attorneys representing the Hayes estate, alleges that the Trump campaign, along with other named associates, including the National Rifle Association (NRA), ignored multiple copyright infringement notifications. “It’s unacceptable,” Hayes stated.

Attorney James L. Walker Jr., representing the Hayes estate, highlighted the potential financial repercussions for the Trump campaign. “The copyright act is very clear, $150,000 per infringement,” Walker said.

In response, a Trump campaign representative told Washington that the campaign has a licensing agreement with BMI, a major music rights organization, which they claim permits the use of the song at campaign events. However, attorneys for the Hayes estate challenged this assertion, presenting a new letter from BMI.

The letter, read by Walker, stated that “Hold On, I’m Coming” is now excluded from the blanket license effective immediately. BMI warned that any future use of the song by the Trump campaign would constitute a material breach of their agreement.

Hayes III stressed that this legal battle is personal, as well as professional. “I know he would not want his music associated with that,” he said, referring to his father’s likely disapproval of the song’s use in this context.

The emergency injunction hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. at the Richard B. Russell Federal Building & United States Courthouse in Downtown Atlanta.

This lawsuit follows a growing trend of musical artists, including Beyoncé, Foo Fighters, and Celine Dion, demanding that the Trump campaign cease using their songs at rallies or in promotional videos.

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