A recent lawsuit accuses Drake of stealing the hook from his hit song “Janice STFU,” a claim vehemently denied by his team. The legal action, filed on October 16 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, alleges that the chorus was originally penned by Aviel (Avi) Hirschfield, a Grammy Award-winning hip-hop artist and producer who had collaborated with Drake in the past.
According to the lawsuit, Hirschfield drew inspiration for the lyrics and melody while driving a borrowed luxury Maybach to Seattle and listening to “I Follow Rivers” by Lykke Li, an artist previously sampled by Drake. Hirschfield reportedly recorded a demo with his vocals over a track produced by FnZ, known for their work with Drake, and shared it with several individuals in hopes it would reach Drake.
The lawsuit claims that Hirschfield was shocked to hear Drake perform a chorus in “Janice STFU” that closely mirrored the one he had recorded and circulated among producers associated with Drake. Drake’s team adamantly refutes these allegations.
Comparisons between the two tracks have surfaced online, showcasing the leaked version created by Hirschfield alongside Drake’s “Janice STFU” video. Despite the controversy, “Janice STFU” debuted at No. 1 on both the Billboard Global 200 and the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, marking Drake’s 14th chart-topping hit and surpassing Michael Jackson’s record for the most No. 1 hits by a male solo artist.
Drake held apology parties for individuals named Janice who felt targeted by the song, but Hirschfield did not receive co-writing credit or a share of the song’s profits. Drake’s representatives maintain that he has no knowledge or connection to Hirschfield, firmly denying the allegations presented in the lawsuit.
Universal Music Group, also implicated in the legal action, has yet to comment on the matter when approached by CBC News.
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