Music producer Metro Boomin, born Leland Wayne, faces serious allegations in a lawsuit filed by Vanessa LeMaistre, who alleges sexual assault by him in 2016. According to reports, shortly after the death of her young son, LeMaistre met Wayne and was in such a state of vulnerability during her interactions that when an encounter at his Los Angeles studio escalated, it resulted in an incident of sexual assault that left her traumatized and wanting justice.
LeMaistre says she began her relationship with Wayne just after her baby son died, during the worst time of her life. In the lawsuit, she claims she reconnected her affair with the producer back in 2016 after they hung out in Las Vegas on a trip. The alleged incident took place in his studio located in Los Angeles, where, trying to drown her sorrows, she took half a Xanax pill with a shot of alcohol-high on which she says she blacked out, and when she came to, Wayne was allegedly assaulting her. She vaguely remembers, while slipping in and out of consciousness, being taken to a hotel room in Beverly Hills-a move she claims not to fully recall.
The lawsuit also says LeMaistre later found out that she was pregnant, believed the pregnancy was Wayne’s, and then had an abortion in November 2016. LeMaistre cites lyrics from 21 Savage’s song “Rap Saved Me,” which is produced by Wayne, who raps about Xanax and passing out-she believes are lines that mock her situation. She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages over the emotional trauma she has apparently suffered.
Metro Boomin, in turn, through his attorney Lawrence Hinkle II, has vehemently denied the accusations which he terms “false” and amount to blackmail. Hinkle says the lawsuit comes on the heels of Metro Boomin refusing an earlier monetary demand from LeMaistre. If he prevails in court, Wayne’s legal team has indicated he will consider a countersuit for malicious prosecution to underscore his intent to protect his reputation against what they deem a baseless attack.
The lawsuit lays in focus a very tight spot, from where neither of the two is likely to emerge unscathed. In this case, LeMaistre is pursuing compensatory damages for emotional distress and punitive damages, opening debates on the consequences of personal trauma, as well as the burdens both accusers and defendants must bear in such cases. Since both parties stand firm with their claims, this battle in court will be so intense. This is indeed a severe case because the allegations are serious, and a lot is at stake for the two individuals.
