Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, known in the music world as The-Dream, has been hit with serious allegations of rape and sexual battery in a lawsuit filed on Tuesday by Chanaaz Mangroe, a former protégé who performed under the name Channii Monroe.
The lawsuit paints a dark picture of a once-promising relationship turned abusive, with Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant accused of leveraging his industry power to manipulate and harm Ms. Mangroe.
Ms. Mangroe’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, claims that in 2015, Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant used promises of advancing her music career to entangle her in an abusive relationship.
She alleges he repeatedly forced her to have sex, strangled her, and once made a video recording of an intimate encounter, threatening to show it to others.
As The-Dream, Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant is a heavyweight in the music industry, an eight-time Grammy winner known for crafting massive pop and R&B hits like Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” Justin Bieber’s “Baby,” and Mariah Carey’s “Touch My Body.”
His close creative partnership with Beyoncé has produced signature anthems such as “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” and “Break My Soul,” and he has worked on every one of her studio albums since 2008.
However, Channii Monroe’s suit depicts a different side of the celebrated producer, describing him as an “abusive Svengali-type figure” who dangled the promise of fame and success while controlling her life, forcing her into unwanted sex, and physically abusing her.
The suit also accuses The-Dream of sex trafficking, a claim cited in several recent civil lawsuits against high-profile figures in the music industry.
“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,” Ms. Mangroe said in a statement.
“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.”
In response, The-Dream denied the allegations through a representative. “These claims are untrue and defamatory,” he stated.
“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.”
Channii Monroe, 33, was born in the Netherlands and sought to break into the music industry as a pop singer and songwriter.
According to her complaint, she was working in the United States in late 2014 when an associate of Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant invited her to send examples of her music.
In January 2015, she flew to Atlanta to meet The-Dream, who began recording with her and promised to make her the next Beyoncé or Rihanna.
Within days, according to Ms. Mangroe’s lawsuit, Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant pressured her into sex, telling her it was “part of the process.”
The complaint describes a harrowing ordeal, with Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant locking her in a dark room and only ceasing his aggressive advances once she professed her love for him.
More sexual encounters allegedly followed, with The-Dream sometimes holding her down and refusing to use a condom despite her protests.
Channii Monroe’s lawsuit details a pattern of increasing control and violence.
Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant placed her in an Atlanta hotel, had security staff monitor her movements, and berated her unless she regularly checked in with him.
After she complained about bedbugs in her hotel room, Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant allegedly exploded in anger, calling her a disloyal “brat” and blaming her for delays in Beyoncé’s next album.
The complaint further alleges that Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant plied Ms. Mangroe with alcohol and marijuana, and once forced her to have sex while he recorded it, later threatening to show the footage to others.
During these encounters, he often placed a gun next to her, which she interpreted as a warning.
The suit recounts an incident at a movie theater where he forced her to have sex in view of other patrons, and later the same day, assaulted her in his van.
The-Dream signed Channii Monroe to his record label, Contra Paris, and arranged a distribution deal with Epic Records.
However, by the summer of 2015, Ms. Mangroe was trying to escape his control and prepare for her album release, but her efforts were thwarted.
According to the complaint, she reported the abuse to an Epic executive who advised her to find a way to work with Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant again.
In July 2016, Epic dropped her, citing Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant’s failure to deliver music, despite his control over her artist contract.
Epic is also named as a defendant in the suit.
A spokeswoman for Sony did not have an immediate comment.
Representatives for Beyoncé and Rihanna did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This is not the first time The-Dream has faced allegations of violence against women.
In 2014, he was charged with assault after allegedly kicking, punching, and choking a former girlfriend Lydia Nam, who was eight months pregnant.
Prosecutors dropped the case the following year due to insufficient evidence.
Channii Monroe is represented by Douglas H. Wigdor and Meredith A. Firetog, who also represented Cassie Ventura in her lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs.
“This is yet another horrific example of how men in the music industry use their power and influence to manipulate and harm others,” Mr. Wigdor and Ms. Firetog said in a statement.
The lawsuit against The-Dream underscores the ongoing issues of abuse and power dynamics within the music industry, highlighting the need for continued scrutiny and accountability.
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Source: NY Times
