Superstar producer Metro Boomin is facing a civil lawsuit over allegations he raped and molested a woman in 2016 and then referenced the incident in one of his songs.
In a complaint filed Tuesday (October 29) in a Los Angeles court, attorneys for Vanessa LeMaistre say blackout after ingesting a Xanax and a shot of alcohol in his recording studio during a September 2016 session, then waking up seeing herself being sexually assaulted. by subway (Leland Wayne).
“The next thing Ms. LeMaist can remember is waking up in a bed in a different location with Wayne raping her and not being able to move or make a sound,” her attorneys wrote. “At no point during this encounter was Ms. LeMaist able to consent to any sexual activity and Wayne's conduct undoubtedly constituted rape and sexual assault.”
In a response, Metro Boomin's lawyer Lawrence Hinkle II called the lawsuit a “pure shakedown” against his client: “These are false accusations. Mr. Wayne refused to pay her months ago and refuses to pay her now. Mr. Wayne will defend himself in court. He will file a claim for malicious prosecution once he prevails.”
The lawsuit alleges that Metro used the death of LeMaistre's infant to gain her trust and that she believed they had “bonded over music's ability to help people in their darkest moments.” But she says that belief “shattered” after he called her into the studio for the September 2016 session.
“The encounter with Wayne resulted in Ms. LeMaistre suffering the second worst thing that ever happened to her – being raped by someone who had been pretending to be her boyfriend for months,” her lawyers wrote. “Ms. LeMaistre is still working on her recovery after experiencing such an extraordinary trauma at the hands of Wayne – someone she truly thought was her friend, but turned out to be her worst nightmare.”
Weeks after the alleged assault, LeMaistre says she learned she was pregnant. He says he did not have sex with anyone other than Metro and that the pregnancy was a result of the alleged rape. Due to the “recent loss of her son and the traumatic nature of her pregnancy,” her lawyers say she was unable to continue the pregnancy and had an abortion in November 2016.
Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that the alleged assault refers to the 2017 song “Rap Saved Me,” released by 21 Savage, Offset and Metro on their collaborative studio album. No Warning. The lyrics in question are: “Took a Xanny, then passed out/ I'm from the gutter, ain't changing/ From the gutter, rap saved me/ Driven me crazy, do it baby.”
“The lyrics were horrific for Ms. LeMaistre to hear over and over as she recounted the situation that happened to her and caused further trauma,” her lawyers wrote.
LeMaistre is represented by attorneys from Wigdor, the same law firm that filed a high-profile civil suit against Sean “Diddy” Combs last year on behalf of his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura — a case that has since been followed by a flood of other complaints and potential federal criminal charges. categories.
In a statement, Wigdor's attorneys addressed the alleged connection between the lyrics to “Rap Saved Me” and LeMaistre's accusations.
“Metro Boomin has built a successful career with lyrics and social media that are not only offensive, but clearly outline his intentions to harm women,” the label wrote in a joint statement with LeMaistre's counsel from the Gerard Bengali law firm . “These are more than just words and it is time for him to be held accountable for his manipulative tactics and unacceptable behavior.”
Read the full lawsuit against Metro here:
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/pro/metro-boomin-lawsuit-alleges-rape-woman-pregnant/
