Renowned music producer, Metro Boomin has found himself entangled in serious legal accusations. Vanessa LeMaistre, 38, has filed a lawsuit in California, claiming the producer with real name Leland Wayne sexually assaulted her at his Los Angeles studio in 2016.
The incident, she asserts, left her pregnant, an outcome that eventually pushed her to terminate the pregnancy.
LeMaistre’s lawsuit, filed in California’s Superior Court on October 29, paints a distressing picture.
She first met Wayne in Las Vegas back in the spring of 2016, amid the throes of her grief; her nine-month-old son Kamden had recently died from a rare, fatal disease. Seeking comfort in music and hoping for a supportive friendship, she accepted an invitation to his California studio.
According to court documents, Wayne allegedly betrayed her trust. During one studio visit that September, she says she accepted a drink and took half a Xanax to cope with her anxiety, only to later wake up paralyzed, Wayne assaulting her. “She never gave her consent,” the filing emphasizes, positioning this as one of the darkest chapters in LeMaistre’s life.
The lawsuit highlights a line from Metro Boomin’s 2017 collaboration track “Rap Saved Me,” featuring 21 Savage and Offset, which includes lyrics about drug use and coercive sexual behavior.
Alongside the lyrics, it points to a series of tweets allegedly posted by Wayne since deleted that hint at a blasé attitude toward the kind of behavior alleged.
Wayne’s lawyer, Lawrence Hinkle II, has fired back at the accusations, calling them “a pure shakedown.” In a statement to TMZ, he claimed, “These are false accusations. Mr. Wayne refused to pay her months ago, and he refuses to pay her now. Mr. Wayne will defend himself in court.”
As the case unfolds, Metro Boomin faces the court of public opinion, a spotlight that might cast long shadows over his career.
Whether or not Wayne will follow through on his lawyer’s counterclaim for “malicious prosecution” remains to be seen, but he’s determined to fight.