Songwriter Aviel Calev Hirschfield filed a federal copyright lawsuit in October 2026 alleging Drake used his unreleased demo for the chart-topping hit “Janice STFU.” Drake’s legal team vehemently denied the claims, calling the lawsuit a fabricated money grab.
Federal Lawsuit Alleges Chorus Plagiarism in Drake Chart-Topper
Aviel Calev Hirschfield initiated legal action in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on Friday, October 16, 2026. The complaint names Drake, OVO Sound, UMG Recordings and Universal Music Publishing as defendants. Hirschfield contends that the infectious hook behind “Janice STFU” mirrors his own work without authorization or financial compensation.
drake’s “janice STFU” has taken the internet by storm, quickly becoming a fan favorite from his new albums 🧊 what’s your take on the ‘ICEMAN’ standout? pic.twitter.com/3aAIXba8JG
The disputed single arrived on May 15, 2026, as the fourth track on Drake’s studio album Iceman. The song quickly dominated the charts, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spending two weeks in the top spot. It also logged 20 weeks atop the Hot Rap Songs chart, marking Drake’s longest-running leader on that tally, and accumulated over 300 million streams on Spotify alone.
The Timeline of Composition and Unanswered Emails
Hirschfield outlines a detailed chronology leading up to the release of the single. According to the court filing, the Portland-based artist, producer, and engineer composed an eight-line chorus between December 2025 and January 2026. He built the melody over an audio bed supplied by the production duo Michael “FinatikMulé and Isaac
Zac” De Boni, known as FNZ, who frequently collaborate with Drake and are credited as co-writers on the final track.
The songwriter drew initial inspiration for the chorus from Lykke Li’s 2011 track I Follow Rivers
while driving to Seattle. He finished his recording on or about January 25, 2026, and transmitted the finished stems to FNZ and other producers embedded within Drake’s professional circle. The lawsuit states that none of the recipients acknowledged receipt or replied.
Hirschfield first encountered the finished mega-hit on streaming platforms around May 15, 2026. Fifteen seconds in, Avi was stunned to hear Drake perform word-for-word, note-for-note, beat-by-beat, the exact same chorus that he (Avi) had recorded and sent,
the complaint states. He subsequently registered the copyright for his demo, which became effective on July 21, 2026.
Disputed Metadata and Denials From Drake’s Representatives
Following the song’s commercial explosion, Hirschfield requested formal co-writer credit and appropriate publishing splits. When his legal counsel provided audio stems and intact metadata, representatives for the Canadian rapper pushed back sharply. The lawsuit asserts that Drake’s camp maintained that the artist penned the chorus independently, even accusing Hirschfield of tampering with his digital recording files to falsify the creation date.
Let us be absolutely clear: These allegations are categorically, unequivocally and completely denied. There is not one iota of truth to these accusations, and we reject every attempt to portray these claims as established facts.
Drake’s legal team, via Billboard
In statements issued to entertainment media outlets, the rapper’s representatives doubled down on their defense, characterizing the litigation as a publicity stunt. Drake wrote this song and has no connection or knowledge of this person, full stop,
his representatives declared, adding that the legal filing represents a manufactured and baseless attempt
to monetize the artist’s success.
Financial Demands and Commercial Stakes for Iceman
The legal battle unfolds against the backdrop of massive commercial achievements for the parent album. Iceman opened with 463,000 equivalent album units in the United States, launching at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and tying Taylor Swift for the most No. 1 albums by a solo artist at 15. Meanwhile, Habibti and Maid of Honour debuted at Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, making Drake the first artist to occupy the Billboard 200’s entire Top 3 simultaneously.
Hirschfield is pursuing a significant share of the profits generated by the hit single. His legal filing asks the federal court for a full disgorgement of profits, statutory damages, interest, and reimbursement for legal fees.