Metro Boomin Accused of Alleged Rape and Sexual Assault in Lawsuit

Metro Boomin, the hip-hop super-producer who has worked with everyone from Future to 21 Savage, was accused of rape in a civil lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles. Vanessa LeMaistre, 38, claims the producer referenced the assault in one of his songs after “pretending” to be her friend for months. LeMaistre also alleges she terminated a pregnancy from the assault.

The suit, obtained by Variety, states that LeMaistre was struggling with the grief of losing her nine-month-old son when she met Boomin, real name Leland T. Wayne, in 2016. LeMaistre describes bonding with Wayne over the ability of music to help people in their darkest moments after they were first introduced during a trip to Las Vegas.

LeMaistre says she arrived and was immediately given a shot of alcohol, and also ingested half of a Xanax bar which she used to cope with her anxiety after her son’s loss. LeMaistre alleges Wayne spent time discussing his own depression, telling LeMaistre that he was depressed because he had just broken up with his long-term girlfriend.

“However, the next thing Ms. LeMaistre can recall is waking up on a bed in a different location with Wayne raping her and being completely unable to move or make a sound,” the lawsuit continues. LeMaistre says she was in and out of consciousness for an unknown amount of time but awoke again at some point to Wayne performing oral sex on her.

“At no point during this encounter was Ms. LeMaistre able to consent to any sexual activity, and Wayne’s conduct without question constituted rape and sexual assault,” the lawsuit states. A few weeks after the alleged sexual assault, LeMaistre says she found out that she was pregnant. She got an abortion soon after.

Approximately one year later, Wayne released the song “Rap Saved Me” with 21 Savage and Migos members Offset and Quavo. The song includes the lyrics “She took a Xanny, then she fainted” and “She drive me crazy, have my baby,” which were cited in the lawsuit as “recounting the situation that happened to LeMaistre,” thus causing “further trauma.”

LeMaistre is asking for a jury trial and damages over the alleged assault.

An attorney for Metro Boomin, Lawrence Hinkle II, told the Washington Post the lawsuit is a “pure shakedown” comprised of false accusations. He added Wayne would defend himself in court and “will file a claim for malicious prosecution once he prevails.”

A statement to Variety from LeMaistre’s attorneys, Michael J. Willemin and Monica Hincken, and Omar H. Bengali and Robert J. Girard II, reads as follows: “Metro Boomin has built a successful career with lyrics and social media that are not only offensive but also explicitly outline his intentions to harm women. These are more than mere words, and it’s time for him to be held accountable for his manipulative tactics and unacceptable behavior.”