Two of the Isley Brothers Are Suing Each Other

There’s a trademark battle going on between two members of The Isley Brothers. Entertainment Weekly reports that Rudolph Isley is suing his brother Ronald for filing a trademark registration for the Isley Brothers under his name only. Rudolph’s legal team wants a judicial declaration that states “The Isley Brothers” trademark is “jointly owned” by both brothers “equally” and asks the judge to require Ronald to pay him his “share of all proceeds” earned from it. The trademark filing was completed in 2021. With their older brother O’Kelly Isley, Rudolph and Ronald formed the family singing trio in 1954. Aside from their legendary music, they are known for collaborating with now-disgraced R&B singer, R. Kelly. In the filing, Rudolph says that the band operated as an “equal partnership under the sole ownership, direction, and control of its founding members.” He notes the three brothers split all expenses, profits, and control of the business even as their lineup grew. 

O’Kelly died in 1986. His portion of whatever earned was then passed onto the remaining members, leaving them both “with a 50% share of ownership in the Group and the Mark,” the complaint adds. Rudolph says he was unaware of Ronald’s trademark filing and all that it entailed, and he accuses his brother of axing him out of business opportunities from the deal.

The suit continues: “Rudolph is unaware of the degree to which Ronald exploited the Mark, the licenses and/or other transactions that Ronald entered into for the use of the Mark, or the revenue Ronald garnered through such exploitation.” Now, Rudolph is asking that his brother “account for and pay over” his “rightful 50 percent share of all results and proceeds of the past exploitation of the Mark.”

Ronald’s legal team denies that he set up the trademark to receive any Isley Brothers revenue separately from Rudolph. Instead, he says that Ronald “set up his own corporate entity to do business solely related to his own musical/entertainment career,” noting that “Ronald is only selling merch pertaining to Ronald Isley and Ernie Isley.” He also notes that Ronald has no issues and intends to continue to work with his brother on all official Isley Brothers business and split profits related to such equally.