The-Dream has been accused of rape, sexual battery, and sex trafficking in a new lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, June 4 by Chanaaz Mangroe. Chanaaz, 33, claims that she met the producer, whose real name is Terius Adamu Ya Gesteelde-Diamant, 46, when she was a young adult, and she alleged that he used his connection to many stars to manipulate her, according to Pitchfork. The-Dream has denied the allegations.
After the lawsuit, Chanaaz’s lawyers Douglas H. Wigdor and Meredith Fireto shared a statement, likening the allegations to Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ recent legal issues. “This is yet another horrific example of how men in the music industry use their power and influence to manipulate and harm others. Dream, like Sean Combs did with Ms. Ventura and others, used his standing as a prominent recording artist and producer to subject Ms. Mangroe to vicious physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. While she will never fully recover from what he and those who supported him did to her, her willingness to speak out now is evidence of her extraordinary strength. We are honored to represent her,” they said.
Following the disturbing allegations, learn more about The-Dream here.
The Woman Claims that The-Dream Sexually Assaulted Her in 2015
Chanaaz claimed that she met The-Dream when she was 23 in 2014. She said that she went to Los Angeles to work with him in 2015 in court documents obtained by Pitchfork. She said that the producer pressured her to drink alcohol, smoke marijuana, and have sex with him. “He assured her that sex with him was ‘part of the process’ and he could only write hit songs for her if she agreed to let him know everything about her,” the lawsuit states. “Throughout her time in Los Angeles, if Ms. Mangroe and Dream were in the studio at the same time, he expected her to be available to have sex with him whenever he demanded it.”
The lawsuit states that shortly after the session, she returned to her home in The Netherlands and then she returned to The-Dream’s home in Atlanta, where he became “controlling” over her. “He told Ms. Mangroe that she needed to check in with him every day, she needed to be available to him whenever he called, and that she should depend only on him for anything she needed,” the suit says. She claims that throughout her time in Georgia she was sexually abused, and eventually, she lost her record deal with Epic Records.
Chanaaz also released a statement about coming forward. “Choosing to speak out about the trauma I survived has been one of the most difficult decisions of my life, but ultimately, what Dream did to me made it impossible to live the life I envisioned for myself and pursue my goals as a singer and songwriter. Ultimately, my silence has become too painful, and I realized that I need to tell my story to heal. I hope that doing so will also help others and prevent future horrific abuse,” she said.
The-Dream Denied the Allegations in a Statement
After the lawsuit was filed, the producer released a statement, claiming that they were false, to The New York Times. “These claims are untrue and defamatory,” he told the outlet. “I oppose all forms of harassment and 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.”
He Has Co-Written Tons of Hit Songs for Different Stars
While most of his work has been done behind-the-scenes, The-Dream has been a co-writer on countless hit songs, including Beyoncé‘s”Single Ladies”, Rihanna‘s”Umbrella”, Justin Bieber‘s”Baby”, Kanye West‘s “All of the Lights” and many more. He’s also released seven studio albums of his own.
He’s Been a Producer for Tons of Popstars and R&B Singers
In addition to his songwriting, The-Dream has also been a producer on many of the hit songs he’s co-written. He’s been behind the boards for lots of hits by the likes of Beyonce, Rihanna and Ciara.
He’s a Father to 9 Children
The-Dream has been married three times. His first two marriages were to Nivea and Christina Milan. He’s been married to LaLonne Martinez since 2014. He is also a father to nine children from four different women.