Isaac Hayes’ estate claims they have confirmation Trump is not allowed to use ‘Hold On, I’m Coming’

3 September, 2024

Isaac Hayes in 1972 and Donald Trump in 2024

Isaac Hayes’ estate have claimed that they have received confirmation that Donald Trump is not allowed to use the song ‘Hold On, I’m Coming’.

It comes as the estate and the former President of the United States are currently in a legal battle. The former is suing Trump for $3million (£2.28m) after allegedly finding over 130 instances where the song was used at his campaign rallies without permission.

The injunction hearing is scheduled for later today (Tuesday, September 3), and the lawsuit names the RNC, the NRA, and Turning Point USA as co-defendants (via Consequence).

Before it goes to the hearing, Hayes’ son, Isaac Hayes III, came forward to claim that the artist’s estate had received confirmation that the Trump campaign does not have legal permission to use the song.

According to him, BMI – the organisation that administers licensing rights – got in touch and told the estate that the politician does not and has not “had a political use license to play ‘Hold On I’m Coming’ for quite some time.”

This comes following the estate claiming that they withdrew licensing rights once Trump began using the song at his rallies back in 2020. In the lawsuit, they claim that despite the rights being revoked four years ago, the former POTUS continued to use the song.

They claim he is liable for a $150,000 (£114,500) fine for each allegedly illegal use, and are suing him for $3million.

In order for a song to be used as part of a political rally, the team behind the campaign must obtain a “political entities licence” from organisations like BMI. Artists are allowed to remove their music from these licences, however.

Hayes’ estate is just one of multiple artists who have criticised Trump for using their music allegedly without permission in his campaign.

Last week, Jack White warned the president’s campaign not to use his music after a clip of The White Stripes’ music appeared in one of Trump’s videos.

That same day, ABBA also demanded Trump stop using their music. The former president of the United States used multiple ABBA hits including the likes of ‘Money, Money, Money’, ‘The Winner Takes It All’ and ‘Dancing Queen’ during his rally event on July 27 in Minnesota. Minnesota happens to be the US state with the highest Swedish population.

Before then, Beyoncé reportedly threatened the former president with legal action for using her song ‘Freedom’ in a social media video. That same song is now being used – with permission – by Kamala Harris as the official anthem of her presidential campaign.

Elsewhere, Celine Dion said she did not endorse his use of ‘My Heart Will Go On’, Johnny Marr “shut down” his use of The Smiths’ ‘Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want’, and Neil Young, The Rolling Stones, Queen and The Animals have all made similar objections in the past.

In other news, the Trump campaign has recently argued that it had the “licence” to play Foo Fighters‘ ‘My Hero’ at a recent rally despite the band denying any authorisation.

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