Beastie Boys Sues Chili’s Parent Company Over Misuse of ‘Sabotage’ Song in Ad

NEW YORK (AP) — The American hip-hop group Beastie Boys has filed a lawsuit against the parent company of the Chili’s restaurant chain in a case accusing the restaurant chain of running an ad that used the hip-hop trio’s hit song “Sabotage” without permission.

The rap group, in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday in New York, alleged that Brinker International produced a Chili’s ad that used large portions of “Sabotage” and copied the song’s music video.

Brinker International did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Court filings did not name Brinker’s attorney.

The Beastie Boys’ first single, “Sabotage,” became a major hit in 1994, and its accompanying music video, featuring the three members wearing wigs, fake mustaches, and sunglasses in a parody of 1970s TV crime shows, is one of the most famous videos of the genre.

The lawsuit accused Brinker of creating a social media ad for Chili’s in 2022 that used parts of the song alongside a video of three people in 1970s-style costumes stealing ingredients from a Chili’s restaurant.

The case was filed by surviving Beastie Boys members Adam Horovitz and Michael Diamond, along with the executor of the estate of Adam Yauch, a band member who died of cancer in 2012. Yauch, In his willspecifically prohibiting the use of his music in advertising.

The Beastie Boys won $1.7 million in 2014. Copyright Infringement Case Against the manufacturer of Monster Energy drink for the company’s unauthorized use of one of the band’s songs.