A music producer known for writing hits for Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, and others is being sued by singer Shaunie Monroe. She claims he physically and sexually assaulted her.
Monroe, professionally known as Shaie Monroe, filed a lawsuit against the producer, The-Dream, alleging graphic details of physical and sexual violence. The allegations have not been proven yet.
The-Dream is a well-known figure in the music industry, having written major hits for artists like Beyoncé and Rihanna. Monroe claims she met The-Dream through his music connections.
Monroe’s lawsuit includes a trigger warning for graphic content and is represented by the same lawyer
who represented singer Cassie in her case against Sean “Diddy” Combs. The suit accuses The-Dream and his labels, Contra Paris and Epic Records, of facilitating his behavior.
The suit states The-Dream promised to make Monroe the next Beyoncé or Rihanna but instead used her for his desires.
It details a manipulative and abusive relationship filled with physical and psychological abuse.
Monroe alleges The-Dream locked her in a dark room adjacent to a recording studio, assaulted her, and left her naked for hours. He also promised her a chance to open for Beyoncé, which never materialized.
Monroe claims the abuse began in 2014 when she was 23 and working in the U.S. on a visa from the Netherlands. She was contacted by The-Dream’s security team to share her music.
In January 2015, Monroe was flown to Atlanta by The-Dream’s team to record music. She recorded a verse for a song on The-Dream’s EP, but never received credit or compensation.
Monroe describes being taken to a basketball game and a strip club, where she was given cash to throw at strippers, making her uncomfortable. The next day, she received a text from The-Dream.
Feeling she had passed a test, Monroe believed her hard work was paying off when The-Dream offered to sign her to his label. However, the lawsuit claims The-Dream manipulated her using his success with Beyoncé and Rihanna.
The-Dream allegedly told Monroe she needed to belong to him to achieve similar success. He manipulated her admiration for Beyoncé to control her, claiming to know Beyoncé intimately.
The suit continues, claiming The-Dream used a concept of a “sanctuary” to manipulate Monroe into disclosing her secrets and becoming trust partners. He supposedly claimed his relationship with Beyoncé was unique.
Monroe states the emotional manipulation escalated when she traveled to California for recording sessions, where The-Dream allegedly forced himself on her sexually.
The lawsuit includes explicit text messages from The-Dream, which Monroe says mixed business with sexual demands. She claims she was kept isolated and controlled in a Residence Inn.
Monroe describes an assault in a van, where The-Dream locked the doors, pinned her down, and choked her, telling her she belonged to him. After this, she signed a record deal with Contra Paris and Epic Records.
Monroe claims she was given a $35,000 advance, while The-Dream and his cohorts received $150,000 each. She was required to buy expensive gifts for the crew and believed she would open for Beyoncé.
Monroe learned there was no tour and felt duped. She alleges Epic Records and Contra Paris were complicit in The-Dream’s actions. Epic Records has yet to respond to the allegations.
The case involves serious accusations of battery, assault, and rape. It raises questions about the treatment of aspiring artists in the music industry and the complicity of record labels.
The-Dream has denied the allegations, calling them defamatory. His response did not address specific claims but rejected the accusations as lies.
The case will undergo discovery to determine who knew what and to gather evidence. Monroe’s legal team aims to hold all responsible parties accountable for their actions.
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the music industry and the protection of vulnerable artists from abuse and exploitation.
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Source: USA Today