Lawyer Metro Boomin calls rape case ‘pure shakedown’

Metro Boomin is speaking out against allegations that he sexually assaulted and raped a woman in 2016 who was mourning the death of her son.

Attorney Lawrence Hinkle II, legal representative for the hip-hop producer and “We Don’t Trust You” artist, has dismissed the allegations, which emerged in a civil lawsuit filed Tuesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court. “This is a pure shakedown,” Hinkle said in a statement shared with The Times on Wednesday.

“These are false accusations. Mr. Wayne refused to pay her months ago, and he refuses to pay her now,” he said of his client, whose real name is Leland Tyler Wayne. “Mr. Wayne will defend himself in court. He will file a claim for malicious prosecution once he is victorious.”

Metro Boomin’s plaintiff, Vanessa LeMaistre, lives in Los Angeles and says she met the rap star through a friend during a weekend trip to Las Vegas in the spring of 2016, according to the 17-page complaint. Months prior to the trip, in February 2016, LeMaistre had lost her nine-month-old son “due to a rare and fatal disease.”

LeMaistre’s relationship with Metro Boomin began amicably, the lawsuit said. After the trip to Las Vegas, LeMaistre was invited to the musician’s recording studio in California to watch him work. “She was happy to see him work… because music provided an escape from the pain she felt after losing her son,” the lawsuit said. In September 2016, Metro allegedly invited Boomin LeMaistre back to his studio, where she experienced “the second worst thing that could have ever happened to her,” according to the lawsuit.

Upon arriving at the recording studio, the lawsuit alleges, LeMaistre was “immediately” given a shot of alcohol. She had also taken “half of a Xanax bar” to ease her anxiety over her son’s death. Metro Boomin and LeMaistre bonded over their personal losses – the then-musician had ended a long-term relationship. After the conversation, Metro Boomin went back to the studio and LeMaistre blacked out, the complaint said.

LeMaistre claims that when she came to, she was lying on a bed with the Grammy-nominated producer on top of her and unsure of her whereabouts. She lost consciousness another time and reportedly woke up when Metro Boomin performed oral sex on her. According to the complaint, LeMaistre was incapable of consenting to any sexual activity during the alleged incident.

“Wayne’s conduct undoubtedly constituted rape and sexual assault,” the lawsuit added.

Hours later, LeMaistre woke up again and was told that she and Metro Boomin were in a hotel room in Beverly Hills. She didn’t know how they got to the hotel and was told to gather her things. Weeks after the alleged incident, LeMaistre discovered she was pregnant and was certain it was the result of the rape, the lawsuit said. In November 2016, she had an abortion.

In addition to details of the alleged rape, the lawsuit cites explicit rap lyrics and since-deleted tweets from Metro Boomin that contained misogynistic language and references to drugs and sexual activity. The 2017 song “Rap Saved Me,” produced by Metro Boomin and performed by rappers 21 Savage and Offset, contained lyrics about a woman taking Xanax and passing out, which horrified LeMaistre and “caused even more trauma,” the lawsuit claims .

The complaint also accuses Metro Boomin of “overuse of codeine,” which would make his behavior “far less predictable.”

“LeMaistre is still working to put herself back together after experiencing such an extraordinary amount of trauma at the hands of Wayne – someone she truly thought was her boyfriend, but who turned out to be her worst nightmare,” the lawsuit said .

LeMaistre is suing, among other things, on battery and sexual battery claims. She is seeking an unspecified amount of damages for “severe emotional distress,” compensatory damages and legal fees. She also demands a jury trial.

“Metro Boomin has built a successful career on texts and social media that are not only offensive, but explicitly portray his intentions to harm women,” Michael J. Willemin, LeMaistre’s attorney, said in a statement to The Times on Wednesday . “These are more than just words, and it is time he is held accountable for his manipulative tactics and unacceptable behavior.”

He added: “Making defamatory comments will not help Metro Boomin’s case and we look forward to proving Ms. LeMaistre’s claims in court and ultimately before a jury.”