The “Janice STFU” lawsuit against Drake has been voluntarily dismissed just 11 days after songwriter Aviel Calev Hirschfield accused the rapper of stealing the chorus of his hit single. Court documents filed Tuesday, October 27, confirm that Hirschfield withdrew the copyright infringement case without prejudice, ending the legal battle for now without offering a public explanation for his decision.
According to Rolling Stone, Hirschfield’s withdrawal came less than two weeks after he filed his complaint in California federal court on October 16. Complex subsequently confirmed the dismissal through court documents, which show the lawsuit was dropped in its entirety.
The decision represents an immediate legal victory for Drake, whose representatives strongly denied the accusations from the beginning. However, the dismissal was entered without prejudice, meaning Hirschfield could potentially bring the claims again. There has been no court ruling determining whether Drake copied any portion of Hirschfield’s work.
The Janice STFU lawsuit originally centered on allegations that Hirschfield created the song’s chorus months before Drake released his version in May 2026.
Hirschfield, a songwriter and producer also known as Avi, claimed he developed the hook between December 2025 and January 2026 after hearing Swedish singer Lykke Li’s 2011 song “I Follow Rivers” while traveling to Seattle in a Maybach.
According to his complaint, the melody inspired him to write an eight-line chorus specifically intended for Drake. Hirschfield alleged that he recorded the vocals over an instrumental supplied by production duo FnZ, consisting of Michael Mulé and Isaac De Boni, who have worked with Drake.
He claimed he completed his recording around January 25 and sent the material to FnZ and other producers connected to Drake. Hirschfield maintained that he never received a response.
The controversy emerged when Drake released “Janice STFU” as part of his “Iceman” album in May. Hirschfield alleged that the finished recording featured the same chorus he had previously submitted, without providing him songwriting credit or compensation.
The complaint described the similarities as “word-for-word, note-for-note, beat-by-beat,” alleging that Drake’s recording reproduced Hirschfield’s original lyrics, melody, and vocal delivery.
As the “Janice STFU” lawsuit gained attention, Hirschfield claimed he had original recording files, vocal stems, and metadata that could establish when his version was created. He alleged that Drake’s representatives disputed his authorship even after receiving the materials.
Drake’s team responded with a firm denial.
“Let us be absolutely clear: These allegations are categorically, unequivocally, and completely denied,” a representative said.
The representative continued, “There is not one iota of truth to these accusations, and we reject every attempt to portray these claims as established facts.”
Drake’s representatives also characterized the lawsuit as a “manufactured and baseless attempt” to exploit the artist’s success for financial gain and attention.
“Drake wrote this song and has no connection or knowledge of this person full stop,” the statement concluded.
Hirschfield’s representatives initially stood behind the allegations. Speaking to Rolling Stone before the dismissal, a representative insisted, “The complaint speaks for itself.”
The situation became even more complicated on October 19 when an alleged original reference recording surfaced online. The audio featured a pitched-down vocal performing a chorus closely resembling the one heard in Drake’s released track.
A legal representative for Hirschfield subsequently confirmed to Pitchfork that the circulating recording matched the material submitted as evidence in the lawsuit.
The leaked demo placed additional attention on the lawsuit, particularly because Hirschfield argued that the recording demonstrated he had created the disputed chorus before the song’s release.
However, the recording’s authenticity and creation timeline remained subjects of dispute. Hirschfield’s representatives told Rolling Stone that multiple experts had examined the file’s metadata and considered it legitimate. Drake’s representatives continued to reject the underlying allegations.
The controversy also drew interest because Hirschfield and Drake share songwriting credits on Beyoncé’s 2022 song “Heated,” from her Grammy-winning album “Renaissance.”
Hirschfield referenced that credit in his complaint while explaining his professional background and desire to collaborate with Drake.
The case involved one of Drake’s most commercially successful recent singles. “Janice STFU” spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and achieved a lengthy run atop Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart.
Those accomplishments increased the potential financial stakes of Hirschfield’s claims. His lawsuit sought compensation connected to the song’s success, including damages and profits allegedly attributable to the disputed composition.
Now, the “Janice STFU” lawsuit has ended before either side presented its full evidence at trial.
