Drake sued over the chorus of “Janice STFU”
A Grammy-winning producer who co-wrote Beyoncé's “Heated” says the hook of one of Drake's biggest songs of the year is his. Drake's team says they have never heard of him.
On Friday 16 October 2026, producer Aviel Calev Hirschfield, who records as GoodbyeCalev, filed a copyright lawsuit in federal court in Los Angeles against Drake, his label OVO Sound, UMG Recordings and Universal Music Publishing. The song in question is “Janice STFU”, from Drake's album Iceman.
The claim“Literally identical”
Hirschfield, a Grammy winner best known for producing and co-writing Beyoncé's “Heated” from Renaissance, says he finished a chorus in January 2026 and sent it to producers in Drake's circle. When the song came out in May, he says he heard the same lyrics and melody. His complaint calls the chorus “literally identical” to his demo.
He isn't asking for a songwriting credit, or for the song to come down from streaming services. He wants damages and a share of the profits the song has made, and says he has timestamped audio files to prove when he made his version.
The response“Categorically denied”
Drake's camp hit back the same day. A representative told TMZ the allegations are “categorically, unequivocally, and completely denied”, called the suit a “manufactured and baseless attempt” to cash in on Drake's name, and said Drake wrote the song and has no connection to or knowledge of Hirschfield.
What to watchA tricky detail
There's a legal wrinkle. Hirschfield registered the copyright for his demo in July 2026, about two months after “Janice STFU” came out, and US copyright law usually limits what you can claim for infringement that started before a work was registered. Expect that to come up as the case moves forward.