Grammy-winning producer and songwriter The-Dream faces rape and sexual battery accusations, according to a lawsuit in Los Angeles. The 47-year-old, Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, is named in the lawsuit filed by former protégé Chanaaz Mangroe, known as Channii Monroe. The lawsuit alleges that Ms. Mangroe claims Mr.Gesteelde-Diamant repeatedly coerced her into sex, choked her, and once recorded an intimate encounter, threatening to expose it. Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant, known for writing songs for Beyoncé, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and Mariah Carey, denies these allegations. The 60-page lawsuit, reviewed by the BBC, states that Ms. Mangroe is seeking damages for “lost wages” and for “mental pain and anguish and severe emotional distress.”
In the lawsuit, Ms. Mangroe, a 33-year old singer and songwriter from the Netherlands working in the US, claims she met Grammy-winning producer The-Dream, Terius Gesteelde-Diamant, in January 2015. She alleges he subjected her to violent sexual encounters, leaving her bruised, forced her to drink excessive alcohol, strangled her until she nearly lost consciousness, coerced her into sexual acts in a movie theatre, and then raped her in a renovated sprinter van. She also alleges that he promised to make her the next Beyoncé or Rihanna. According to the lawsuit, within days of their initial meeting, Ms. Mangroe claims Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant began pressuring her for sex, insisting it was “part of the process.” She added that he locked her in a dark room and “would only stop aggressively having sex with her once she said that she loved him”.
Ms. Mangroe alleges in the lawsuit that the unwanted sexual encounters persisted, with Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant promising opportunities such as being the opening act for Beyoncé’s next tour and performing at the Grammys. In a statement provided to the BBC by her legal team, Ms. Mangroe described speaking out as “one of the most difficult decisions of my life.” She added, “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.”
Mr. Gesteelde-Diamant, an eight-time Grammy Award winner, was nominated for the newly established Songwriter of the Year category at the 65th Grammy Awards in February 2023. In a statement provided by his representative to the New York Times, he called the claims “untrue and defamatory.”
“I oppose all forms of harassment and have always strived to help people realize their career goals,” the statement said.
“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.”
