The latest hit from Drake, “Janice STFU,” is facing legal trouble as a recent lawsuit claims that the catchy chorus was allegedly stolen by the Toronto rapper. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on Oct. 16, alleges that the chorus was originally written 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 came up with the lyrics and melody while driving a luxury Maybach to Seattle, listening to “I Follow Rivers” by Lykke Li, an artist previously sampled by Drake. Hirschfield then recorded a demo with his vocals over a track produced by FnZ, a duo known for their work with Drake, and shared it with several individuals in hopes of it reaching Drake.

The lawsuit claims that Hirschfield was shocked to hear Drake perform the exact same chorus he had recorded in the song “Janice STFU,” prompting the legal action. Drake’s team has vehemently denied these allegations, stating they are entirely false.

The similarities between the two tracks have sparked controversy. An online leak of Hirschfield’s version is available for comparison with Drake’s official release of “Janice STFU.”

“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 breaking his tie with Michael Jackson for the most No. 1 hits by a male solo artist.

To address concerns raised by the song, Drake hosted a series of parties to apologize to individuals named Janice who felt targeted by the track.

Hirschfield was reportedly not credited as a co-writer of the song and was denied a share of its earnings. Drake’s representatives have stated that the rapper has no knowledge of Hirschfield and has refuted the allegations made in the lawsuit.

Universal Music Group, also named in the lawsuit, has not issued a comment in response to CBC News’ request for a statement.