Isaac Hayes III has addressed the backlash he received from supporters of Donald Trump after he publicly disclosed his early voting. On October 15, 2024, the music producer shared a video on X, letting his audience know that he participated in the inaugural day of early voting in Georgia.
That same day, Hayes posted a message questioning the reasons behind the discontent from Trump supporters regarding his early vote:
“Why are so many Trump supporters upset about my early voting? Isn’t participating in elections part of democracy? Are you concerned because 300,000 voters turned out for early voting on the first day, smashing the previous record by over 150%? What’s with the anger? Lol.”
While the presidential election is set for November 5, early voting has already been available since September 11 in various states such as Alabama, which began distributing ballots to voters who would not be available on election day.
Isaac Hayes III Takes Legal Action Against Trump for Unauthorized Use of His Father’s Song
Recently, Isaac Hayes III initiated legal proceedings against Trump for utilizing the renowned song “Hold On, I’m Coming,”composed by his late father, Isaac Lee Hayes, at campaign rallies without authorization. The lawsuit, filed in August 2024, claims that this classic track was played before and after Trump’s speeches at least 134 times between 2022 and 2024.
Hayes is seeking $3 million in licensing fees for the song. Furthermore, he mentioned that if the case progresses, Trump’s team could potentially face fines of $150,000 for each unauthorized play, leading to a possible settlement of up to $20 million.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that the song was first played at the 2022 National Rifle Association rally, which took place shortly after the tragic Uvalde school shooting that claimed the lives of 19 children.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Isaac Hayes III expressed his frustration over the use of his father’s song at an NRA event following such a devastating incident. He stated:
“I was furious. A mass shooting just occurred. So why is this song being played at the NRA convention? I felt compelled to pursue legal action because Trump has made inappropriate statements about women, and this is a man convicted of sexual abuse. I have seven sisters, and I don’t want anyone to associate ‘Hold On’ with Donald Trump.”
In September, a U.S. judge granted an order preventing Trump’s campaign team from using the song. While the lawsuit remains unresolved, Isaac Hayes III revealed that he felt satisfied with the ruling, asserting that his father would not have supported Trump.
Other Artists Who Oppose Trump’s Use of Their Music at Rallies
Isaac Hayes III is among a number of musicians who have voiced their discontent regarding Trump utilizing their music at his events. Artists such as Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, Beyoncé, and ABBA have raised concerns over the unauthorized use of their songs.
Celine Dion and her team expressed their disapproval of Trump’s use of “My Heart Will Go On”at a campaign event in August, clarifying that the singer does not support the former president. Similarly, ABBA objected to the play of their songs without permission at another rally, stating through Reuters:
“The members of ABBA learned that some videos featuring our music were used at Trump events, and we have requested their immediate removal.”
The Foo Fighters also took to social media to clarify that they did not authorize the use of their song “My Hero”at a Trump event, despite the claims from Trump’s team that they had permission. Additionally, Beyoncé blocked her song “Freedom”from being used by Trump’s team after they released a video featuring the track without proper licensing, following her earlier agreement for Kamala Harris to use it in her campaign.
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