Rudolph Isley, Isley Brothers Founder's Cause Of Death Revealed

Isley Brothers singer and founding member Rudolph Isley has passed away at the age of 84.

The famous music artist reportedly died on Wednesday in Illinois, after some sort of medical emergency. 

The Isley Brothers were known for their slew of hit songs in the 70s, including tracks such as "Make Me Say It Again Girl," "For The Love Of You," "Footsteps In The Dark," and so much more.

According to reports, Rudolph died in Illinois on Wednesday, and although his exact cause of death is yet to be determined, sources close to the singer believe it was a heart attack. 

Rudolph's love for music was evident at a very young age as he started his career singing in the church alongside his siblings, Ronald, O'Kelly, and Vernon. Together, they formed the iconic group known as the Isley Brothers.

The brothers made a move to New York in 1955 following a tragic bike accident that claimed the life of Vernon at the age of 13. A few years later, the siblings signed a record deal with RCA and recorded one of their most notable hits to date, "Shout."

In 1958, Rudolph married Elaine Jasper while his band was still in its early stages. By 1971, the sibling band increased in number, adding brothers Ernie and Marvin along with Rudolph's brother-in-law, Chris Jasper.

Prior to his death, Rudolph was in a legal tussle with his brother, Ronald, over the trademark of their group name, "The Isley Brothers."

The late Rudolph claimed in a lawsuit that Ronald went behind his back to trademark the name despite it being "jointly owned" by the siblings.

According to People magazine, when their brother, O'Kelly, died in 1986, both Rudolph and Ronald inherited his interests. They also received "a 50% share of ownership in the group and in the Isley Brothers trademark."

Rudolph stated in his complaint that neither he nor his brother "has the authority to enter into deals concerning the group or the exploitation of the [trademark] without consent of the other party."

Following the death of O'Kelly, Rudolph stepped away from performing with his siblings but claimed, per People, that he continued overseeing the promotion and management of the group's properties. This included a multi-million dollar music publishing deal in 2018 and the negotiation of a licensing deal with the Super Bowl in 2023, which saw the use of their hit song, "Shout," during the event.

In a response from Ronald through his attorney at the time, the singer stated that his brother's claim about them sharing 50% ownership could not be true due to the band always having more than two owners.

"The owner of a trademark is the person who applies the mark to the services that they perform, and who is actually and actively using the mark in commerce during or near the time of registration," a letter from Ronald's attorney read, per People.

It continued, "Our research shows that Rudolph Isley has not used the mark or been part of The Isley Brothers brand since 1986 and has not performed with The Isley Brothers since the death of their brother O'Kelly Isley. Even if Rudolph had applied for a Trademark while he was using the mark in commerce, it would eventually have become abandoned as abandonment of a trademark occurs when the owner ceases from using the mark in commerce for at least three years." 

The letter concluded that Ronald was only selling merch related to him and Ernie and wanted to include Rudoplh in the business "for the years that Rudolph was a working member" of The Isley Brothers.

Amid their run in the entertainment industry, the brothers delivered a slew of hits, including songs like "Make Me Say It Again Girl," "For The Love Of You," and "Footsteps In The Dark." The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.