Songwriter Aviel Calev Hirschfield has withdrawn his copyright lawsuit against Drake, ending a case that lasted only eleven days. He had alleged that the chorus of Drake's track "Janice STFU" was "literally identical" to a demo he had written. The withdrawal notice does not explain the decision.
What the Lawsuit Claimed
Hirschfield's complaint centered on the chorus of "Janice STFU," which he argued reproduced a demo he had composed. The core of his claim was similarity in melody and musical material, a standard basis for infringement disputes in popular music. The allegation that the two passages were "literally identical" was the central assertion of the filing.
How the Dismissal Works
The dismissal was filed without prejudice, which means Hirschfield is not barred from bringing the same claim again. A withdrawal of this kind closes the current case without a court ruling on the merits. Neither the notice nor the reporting available so far indicates whether the parties reached a settlement.
What Remains Unknown
The withdrawal notice gives no reason for the decision, so any explanation would be speculation. Copyright disputes over short musical phrases often turn on expert comparison of the recordings and the underlying compositions, and such evidence is not described in the available material. Until more is disclosed, the case stands as a brief, unexplained withdrawal rather than a judgment about whether the chorus copied the demo.