R&B legend Ronald Isley is being hauled into court. The person leveling the complaint is not a stranger but his brother.
TMZ reports Rudolph Isley, the older brother of Mr. Biggs, is suing for the trademark of “The Isley Brothers” group name.
The lawsuit alleges Ronald Isley applied for and obtained a trademark for the group in November 2021 and only included his name on the paperwork. The foxy business move entitles him to all of the profits from things sold in the name of the group. Recently, he doubled-backed and was granted the exclusive rights to “visual recordings and audiovisual recordings featuring music and animation.”
In the original 2021 trademark, the two split profits on some of the big deals that came through on behalf of the group. The two also negotiated a multi-million-dollar publishing deal together through the name of the group.
This basically cuts the brother out of everything.
According to the brother, there should have been a 50/50 split between him and his brother. Originally, the group had three members but their other brother O’Kelly transitioned in 1986.
Rudolph Isley is asking for a judge to revoke the trademark as it is and declare “The Isley Brother” trademark to be jointly owned by both brothers.
Neither brother has spoken publicly on the lawsuit.