The-Dream sued for rape and sex trafficking by former protégé

Music producer The-Dream (birth name Terius Gesteelde-Diamant) was sued Tuesday by his former protégé Chanaaz (“Channii Monroe”) Mangroe for rape, sex trafficking and sexual assault.

Mangroe claimed in the lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California and obtained by TheWrap, that Gesteelde-Diamant convinced her to enter into a recording and distribution deal, which was ultimately linked to a “violent and manipulative relationship”. with the musician in 2015, when she was 23. She called the situation “nothing short of a prolonged nightmare.”

In the legal document, Mangroe said Gesteelde-Diamant “lured the young and vulnerable artist into an abusive, violent and manipulative relationship filled with physical assault, violent sexual encounters and horrific psychological manipulation.” It adds that Gesteelde-Diamant “used his age and influence in the industry to manipulate the young artist into believing she needed him to succeed, and chained her into his world through false promises.” “.

Mangroe further accused Gesteelde-Diamant of taking advantage of her by tricking her into believing he would write hit songs for her, making her “check in” with him throughout the day and by managing all his musical projects. She also said Gesteelde-Diamant promised to book her as the opening act on a Beyoncé tour.

The singer also detailed a series of “violent sexual acts” that occurred during their personal and professional relationship. In one case, Mangroe said Gesteelde-Diamant locked her “in a dark room adjacent to a recording studio, having violent sex with her, then leaving her alone, naked in the dark, for hours, returning to have sex with her again. and demand that she tell him that she loved him. In another incident, she said Gesteelde-Diamant choked her to the point that she “started to pass out.”

In a statement to TheWrap, Douglas H. Wigdor and Meredith Firetog, partners at Wigdor LLP and attorneys for Mangroe, said: “This is yet another horrific example of how men in the music industry use their power and their influence to manipulate and harm others. Dream, as Sean Combs did with Ms. Ventura and others, used his position as a prominent artist and producer to subject Ms. Mangroe to violent physical, psychological and sexual abuse. Although she will never fully recover from what he and those who supported him did to her, her willingness to speak out now is proof of her extraordinary strength. We are honored to represent her.

Mangroe said in a personal statement that “choosing to speak out about the trauma I survived was one of the hardest decisions of my life, but ultimately what Dream did to me made me impossible to live the life I envisioned for myself. and pursue my goals as a singer and songwriter.

“Ultimately, my silence became too painful,” she added, “and I realized I had to tell my story to heal.” I hope this will also help others and prevent future horrible abuse.

Gesteelde-Diamant did not respond to TheWrap's request for comment, but denied the allegations in a statement to the New York Times, saying: “These claims are false and defamatory…I oppose any form of harassment and I have always strived to help people realize their career goals. As someone committed to making a positive impact on my fellow artists and the world at large, I am deeply offended and saddened by these accusations. »

Eight-time Grammy-winning producer Gesteelde-Diamant has been in the music business for over two decades, starting his career primarily as a songwriter. But in 2007, he released his album “Love/Hate,” which contained the hit singles “Falsetto,” “I Luv Your Girl,” and “Shawty Is Da S—t.” He also wrote chart-topping records like Beyoncé's “Single Ladies,” Mariah Carey's “Obsessed” and Justin Bieber's “Baby” featuring Ludacris.