The family of late R&B icon Isaac Hayes are demanding Donald Trump stop using “Hold On, I’m Coming” at campaign rallies and threatening him with a lawsuit.
Hayes penned the 1966 Sam & Dave song and his estate alleged copyright infringement in a letter posted on social media Sunday (August 11). The family claims the song was used 134 times and seeks $3 million for its unauthorized use between 2022 and 2024.
The family claims the Trump campaign “willfully and brazenly engaged in copyright infringement,” using the song“despite being asked repeatedly not to engage in such illegal use.”
The Hayes family also asks that all videos from the Trump campaign featuring the song be taken down. Additionally, the letter requested an acknowledgment that the Hayes estate has not “authorized, endorsed or permitted” the use of the song.
The letter states that the $3m figure is “heavily discounted” considering the number of times the song was used. However, if the Hayes family has to proceed with litigation, they will demand damages of “$150,000 per use.”
Isaac Hayes III Slams Donald Trump
Hayes’s son, Isaac Hayes III, posted the letter on his Instagram account. He also warned Donald Trump in a tweet on Saturday (August 10). He claimed Trump used the song at a rally in Montana despite requests not to do so.
“Donald Trump represents the worst in integrity and class with his disrespect and sexual abuse of Women and racist rhetoric,” he wrote. We will now deal with this very swiftly.”
He also reposted the tweet on Instagram, writing, “A musical performers art is a reflection of their soul, not a tool for promoting hatred or bigotry.”
In a follow-up video, Hayes III indicated the family has been asking Donald Trump not to use the song for two years. “Artists and their heirs have rights too,” he stated.