Overview
- The copyright complaint was filed Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, and names Drake, OVO Sound, and Universal Music Group while seeking co‑writing recognition and a share of profits from "Janice STFU."
- Plaintiff Aviel Calev Hirschfield says he wrote and recorded the disputed chorus in December 2025–January 2026 and sent a demo to producers connected to Drake before the song’s May 2026 release.
- Hirschfield says he provided audio stems with timestamps and metadata to support prior authorship, and his filing says Drake’s team later suggested the files were altered, a claim his lawyers reject.
- Drake’s representatives have issued a categorical denial, calling the suit a baseless money grab and saying Drake wrote the song, while no court ruling or settlement has yet been reported.
- The case will turn on whether Drake’s camp had access to Hirschfield’s demo, whether the choruses are substantially similar in protectable elements, and whether the submitted metadata and stems hold up under discovery and expert review.