Who is Vanessa LeMaistre? Allegations against Metro Boomin explored as rapper faces lawsuit over alleged 2016 assault

Leland Tyler Wayne, a.k.a. Metro Boomin, was sued by a woman, alleging he s*xually assaulted her in 2016. TMZ Hip Hop, citing court documents, explained that the woman, named Vanessa LeMaistre, filed the lawsuit against the Grammy-winning music producer on Tuesday, October 29, 2024.

LeMaistre is a self-proclaimed shaman, motivational speaker, and author from Los Angeles. She runs her business Soul XO, which offers tarot readings and healing circle rituals and sells merchandise like soy candles.

Trigger Warning: The following article contains descriptions of a s*xual assault. Reader discretion is advised.

Per the lawsuit, LeMaistre claimed that she met Leland when she was grieving the death of her son, and became quick friends. Months later, when visiting Metro Boomin's studio, she reportedly took Xanax with alcohol and blacked out. Upon gaining consciousness, the music producer was reportedly r*ping her. She later learned that she was pregnant and was reportedly forced to terminate.

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Vanessa LeMaistre was suffering from depression after losing her 9-month-old son when she met Metro Boomin

Vanessa LeMaistre is a Haitian-American hailing from Miami, Florida. She moved to Los Angeles in early 2010s. According to her profile on SpeakerHub, she holds an M.A. in resilient leadership with a focus on sustainability and social justice from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, and a degree in public relations from Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida.

Per SpeakerHub, she is an author, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and shaman. She began her spiritual journey at the age of 25. She practiced yoga and read books to "spiritually enlighten herself."

According to her November 2023 interview with Bold Journey, Vanessa began her business, SoulXO, during the COVID-19 pandemic. It initially sold "positive intention soy candles" and offered "tarot readings." It currently offers "tarot readings and mediumship," "shamanic drumming healing circles," and has an e-commerce section.

Per the interview, Venessa also hosts a podcast called Believe in Your Soul. According to its description on Apple Podcasts, it is focused on spirituality and self-healing. She began the project in 2018, releasing episodes every few months.

According to her profile on Canvas Rebel published in November 2023, she published her book Believe in Your Soul in October 2023. Additionally, the self-proclaimed shaman is also penning a self-love journal book set to come out this year.

Vanessa's son Kamben was born with Zellweger syndrome, a genetic disorder. He died in February 2016, just 9 months after his birth. According to her lawsuit, she was suffering from depression due to the loss of her son when she took a trip to Vegas where she met Metro Boomin.

LeMaistre began her non-profit project, Kamden's Room in her son's honor. The project aims to provide for children across impoverished countries like India, Africa (where Kamden’s dad is from), and Haiti. This includes education, providing guided meditation, donating books, and teaching life skills, among others.

According to Soul XO's website, they recently sponsored Khushi School via the Khushi Charitable Society in India, which helps children with their education fees, supplies, and school uniforms.

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Vanessa LeMaistre claims Metro Boomin allegedly rapped about her assault in his 2017 track Rap Saved Me

According to TMZ Hip Hop, Vanessa LeMaistre's lawsuit reveals that she met Metro Boomin during a trip to Las Vegas in spring 2016. They became friends, and he allegedly invited her to his studio in September. LeMaistre claimed she saw Metro using codeine despite warnings from his friends. At that time, she reportedly took half a Xanax and a drink to cope with her emotional distress from losing her son, which caused her to black out on the couch.

She reportedly regained consciousness and found the Heroes & Villains artist r*ping her before she again blacked out. Upon waking again, he informed her she was at a hotel in Beverly Hills (she claimed to have no memory of how she got there) and it was "time to leave." LeMaistre later discovered she was pregnant and had to terminate her pregnancy in November.

In a statement made to the publication, Metro's lawyer, Lawrence Hinkle II of Sanders Roberts LLP, called the claims "false," stating:

"This is a pure shakedown. These are false accusations. Mr. Wayne refused to pay her months ago, and he refuses to pay her now. Mr. Wayne will defend himself in court. He will file a claim for malicious prosecution once he prevails."

LeMaistre also claimed that Metro Boomin in his 2017 track Rap Saved Me, a collab with 21 Savage, Offset, and Quavo, made fun of her trauma with the lyrics, "She took a Xanny / Then she fainted / I’m from the gutter … ain’t no changing."

Vanessa LeMaistre is seeking unspecified damages for mental pain and anguish and punitive damages (awarded as punishment for the crime).