Producer The-Dream has been accused of intercourse trafficking, sexual battery and rape in a brand new lawsuit introduced by the identical agency that represented Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in her now-settled case in opposition to the hip-hop mogul.
The eight-time Grammy winner — named within the lawsuit as Terius Gesteelde-Diamant — is accused within the civil go well with of trafficking then-23-year-old songwriter Chanaaz Mangroe, also referred to as Channii Monroe, in 2014. Mangroe alleged that she was trafficked underneath the guise of a professional recording and distribution contract and that the “Umbrella” and “All the Lights” hitmaker as an alternative lured her into an abusive, violent and manipulative relationship. She is in search of unspecified damages and a jury trial.
In courtroom paperwork filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court docket for the Central District of California, Mangroe alleged that The-Dream’s “wicked habits” was facilitated by his artwork label Contra Paris LLC and report label Epic Information, whom she says he allegedly persuaded to spend money on Mangroe, edged her out of negotiations, then used “company funding to help in his trafficking enterprise.”
Representatives for The-Dream and Epic Information didn’t instantly reply Tuesday to The Occasions’ requests for remark.
Nonetheless, in a press release to the New York Occasions, the “Renaissance” producer denied the allegations.
“These claims are unfaithful and defamatory,” he mentioned. “I oppose all types of harassment and have at all times strived to assist individuals understand their profession targets. As somebody dedicated to creating a constructive affect on my fellow artists and the world at giant, I’m deeply offended and saddened by these accusations.”
Working in america on a global visa from the Netherlands in 2014, Mangroe mentioned she was invited by way of social media to hitch The-Dream and his accomplice Difficult Stewart in Atlanta. Mangroe, who had a three-year visa to work as a songwriter, lived in Los Angeles on the time and alleged that the introduction was “removed from being the superb breakthrough alternative she imagined.”
“Ms. Mangroe’s expertise with Dream was nothing wanting a protracted nightmare,” mentioned the 60-page criticism, obtained Tuesday by The Occasions. “Below the guise of pursuing a professional recording and publishing contract with Ms. Mangroe, Dream lured the younger and weak artist into an abusive, violent, and manipulative relationship crammed with bodily assaults, violent sexual encounters, and horrific psychological manipulation.”
She claimed that the producer used her vocals with out compensating or crediting her on his leaked 2016 monitor “Clear” and that he additionally used her for “his base needs.” She alleged that he locked her in a darkish room adjoining to a recording studio, violently had intercourse together with her after which left her there bare and alone for hours. She alleged that he returned to have intercourse together with her and demanded that she inform him she cherished him, the criticism mentioned.
Mangroe additionally accused the producer of utilizing his age and affect within the music trade to control her into believing that she wanted him to achieve success and “roped her into his world via false guarantees” to realize her belief. She alleged that he assured her he would sponsor an extension of her worldwide visa; write blockbuster songs for her (as he mentioned he did for Beyoncé and Rihanna) if she grew to become a part of his “sanctuary”; provided her a lofty model of recording and publishing contracts with main labels; and instructed her that she would open for Beyoncé on an upcoming tour.
She alleged that The-Dream — who’s married and has 9 kids by 4 girls — managed all features of her keep in america, together with offering housing in L.A., transportation and meals bills and retaining shut monitor of her location always. He allegedly pressured her “to drink extreme quantities of alcohol” and often strangled her throughout violent intercourse, at one level choking her till she nearly misplaced consciousness. He additionally allegedly refused to put on a condom throughout intercourse regardless of her protests and have become enraged when he found she was on contraception “as a result of he believed it to be an indication of disrespect,” the criticism mentioned.
She additionally alleged that he raped her at the back of a renovated Sprinter van and compelled her to have interaction in intercourse acts in a public movie show, additionally recorded her throughout intercourse and “used the existence of the recording to threaten [her] into silence.”
Mangroe alleges that her profession was upended, her music was taken with out rationalization and that she was by no means compensated for her work as a result of “each try and revive her profession has been hijacked by Dream and those that help him.” She mentioned she has trauma from which she has but to get better, together with feeling damaged as an artist, and consistently feels afraid for her bodily security and tormented by reminders of the violence and management she allegedly skilled.
“Almost a decade later, Ms. Mangroe remains to be placing the items of her life again collectively, however she is aware of that with out talking up about what Dream did to her, she’s going to by no means have the ability to heal from the hurt he has induced,” the criticism mentioned. “She subsequently brings this lawsuit to talk up for herself and different feminine artists who’ve been affected by highly effective and egocentric males within the recording trade. She seeks justice and accountability to forestall additional horrific abuse like she skilled, and to regain her sense of self as an artist and as a lady.”
In a press release offered to The Occasions by her lawyer, Mangroe mentioned that selecting to talk about her trauma has been a tough resolution, however one she hopes will assist abuse survivors.
“However finally, what Dream did to me made it unattainable to reside the life I envisioned for myself and pursue my targets as a singer and songwriter,” she mentioned. “Finally, my silence has turn out to be too painful, and I spotted that I would like to inform my story to heal. I hope that doing so may also assist others and forestall future horrific abuse.”
“That is one more horrific instance of how males within the music trade use their energy and affect to control and hurt others,” attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and Meredith Firetog, companions of Wigdor LLP, mentioned. “Dream, like Sean Combs did with Ms. Ventura and others, used his standing as a outstanding recording artist and producer to topic Ms. Mangroe to vicious bodily, psychological, and sexual abuse. Whereas she’s going to by no means absolutely get better from what he and those that supported him did to her, her willingness to talk out now could be proof of her extraordinary power. We’re honored to signify her.”
