Posted by A copyright-infringement lawsuit against Drake over his song “Janice STFU” was dismissed less than two weeks after its filing. According to documents obtained by XXL, attorneys for producer-songwriter Aviel Calev Hirschfield filed a notice on Tuesday (Oct. 27) in federal court announcing that he is dismissing his complaint against the Toronto rap superstar. No explanation was provided for the dismissal, and the case has been dropped “without prejudice,” meaning Hirschfield retains the right to refile the claim at a later date.
Hirschfield’s legal battle against Drake began on Oct. 16, when he filed a copyright-infringement lawsuit alleging that the artist copied a chorus he had written in January. Hirschfield claimed he sent a reference track to the song’s producers, FnZ, and other members of the rapper’s inner circle, but received no response. Upon hearing “Janice STFU” on the Iceman album in May, Hirschfield alleged that his work had been used without credit or compensation. He further claimed to have provided “stems” of his original recording as proof of his contribution.
At the time of the initial filing, representatives for Drake vehemently denied the allegations. In a formal statement, the team declared, “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.”
The statement continued, “The allegations are not merely disputed — we maintain that they are entirely fabricated, without credible factual support or legitimate legal foundation. Drake wrote this song and has no connection or knowledge of this person full stop.”