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Songwriter Claims Drake Stole "Janice STFU" Chorus
16 Oct
Summary
- Songwriter alleges Drake's hit song "Janice STFU" uses his demo chorus.
- The lawsuit claims the chorus is identical in lyrics and melody to the demo.
- Hirschfield seeks credit and profits, alleging Drake's team refused his claims.
A lawsuit filed on October 16, 2026, accuses rapper Drake of copyright infringement over his hit song "Janice STFU." Songwriter Aviel Calev Hirschfield alleges that the song's chorus, which topped the Billboard charts, is identical to a demo he submitted to Drake's production team.
Hirschfield claims he sent the demo in early 2026, created over a beat from producers FNZ. He stated he specifically wrote the song for Drake, having previously collaborated on a Beyoncé track. Upon hearing "Janice STFU," Hirschfield was reportedly stunned by the verbatim use of his chorus.
The lawsuit further contends that Drake's representatives have refused to acknowledge Hirschfield's authorship, despite him providing stems and metadata. They allegedly maintain Drake wrote the chorus independently, a claim Hirschfield's suit dismisses as career suicide.
Hirschfield is seeking a portion of the song's profits and reputational benefits, arguing Drake has denied him due compensation for his contribution to a major hit. This legal action names Drake, OVO Sound, Universal Music Group, Republic Records, and Universal Music Publishing Group as defendants.
