Beyonce's Longtime Producer The Dream Accused of Rape and Physical Abuse in Explosive Lawsuit
June 4 2024, Published 12:51 p.m. ET
The Dream has been sued by a female artist for alleged rape and physical abuse. In legal documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, singer/songwriter Chanaaz Mangroe claimed the artist — whose real name is Terius Adamu Ya Gesteelde-Diamant — "lured" her into "his deeply sadistic world" over a decade ago, promising her fame and fortune while she was a three-year work visa.
Mangroe said she was just 21 when Dream's childhood friend allegedly contacted her through social media in 2014 and asked her to send him music. According to the lawsuit, Dream's team asked her to meet the star in person and record, "which she happily agreed to do."
But her excitement soon faded.
Mangroe — originally from the Netherlands — accused Dream of using his age and influence to "manipulate, coerce and control" her. He allegedly told her she could have a special "sanctuary" relationship with him if she did what he said — allegedly telling her he had the same relationship with Beyonce and Rihanna.
She claimed Dream promised her recording and publishing contracts with major labels and to sponsor the extension of her visa. He also allegedly told her she would open for Beyonce's tour.
But Mangroe argued that Dream soon "controlled all aspects" of her life, allegedly telling her where she could live, who she could talk to, and what she could eat and drink.
She also claimed he subjected her to "violent sexual encounters that left her badly bruised," including allegedly raping her in the back of a sprinter van after forcing her to engage in separate sex acts in a movie theater, according to the suit filed on Tuesday.
Mangroe alleged Dream "forced" her to drink excessive amounts of alcohol, reportedly pouring booze down her throat while pulling her head back. She claimed he'd also record her engaging in sexual acts to allegedly blackmail her into silence.
She's suing Dream, his record label, Contra Paris LLC, and Epic Records, accusing the businesses of facilitating his "depraved behavior."
"The label Dream convinced to invest in Ms. Mangroe, which stood by and did nothing despite both witnessing and being told about Dream’s abuse. As a result of Dream’s heinous acts, Ms. Mangroe’s career was destroyed—her music was taken away from her without explanation, Contra Paris never provided her any compensation, and every attempt to revive her career has been hijacked by Dream and those who support him," her attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and Meredith Firetog, Partners of Wigdor LLP tell RadarOnline.com.
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“This is yet another horrific example of how men in the music industry use their power and influence to manipulate and harm others. Dream, like Sean Combs did with Ms. Ventura and others, used his standing as a prominent recording artist and producer to subject Ms. Mangroe to vicious physical, psychological, and sexual abuse," they continued. "While she will never fully recover from what he and those who supported him did to her, her willingness to speak out now is evidence of her extraordinary strength. We are honored to represent her.”
Mangroe also addressed her lawsuit, telling us that "choosing to speak out about the trauma I survived has been one of the most difficult decisions of my life, but 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.”
The Dream denied her allegations, calling them "untrue" and "defamatory."