The R&B and hip-hop executive Kevin Liles has been accused of sexual assault and rape in a newly filed lawsuit.
According to the unnamed woman who filed the lawsuit, Liles — who stepped down as Warner Music Group Executive VP late last year — sexually assaulted her while she was an employee at Def Jam in the early 2000s, according to Variety.
Her lawsuit, which was filed in New York Supreme Court, also names Def Jam Recordings and its parent company Universal Music Group (UMG) as defendants.
DailyMail.com has reached out to representatives for Liles and UMG for comment.
Liles, 56, is best known for his stint as Def Jam president in the late 1990s and early 2000s, as well as serving as the executive VP of The Island Def Jam Music Group during that period, which is also when Jane Doe claims he assaulted her.
Although the alleged incident would normally have occurred beyond the statute of limitations a 2022 amendment to the Victims of Gender-Motivated Violence Protection Law allows plaintiffs to continue filing lawsuits until March 1, 2025.
The R&B and hip-hop executive Kevin Liles, 56, has been accused of sexual assault and rape in a newly filed lawsuit. He was Def Jam president and executive VP of The Island Def Jam Music Group in the late 1990s and early 2000s; pictured in 2019 in LA
According to the unnamed woman who filed the lawsuit, Liles sexually assaulted her while she was an employee at Def Jam in the early 2000s, according to Variety; seen September 13 in Washington, DC
According to Jane Doe, she was hired at Def Jam to work as an executive assistant to the general manager around 1999.
She alleges that Liles began sexually harassing her not long after she started working at the label.
He would allegedly make ‘derogatory and degrading comments based on her gender regarding her body and appearance.’
His alleged campaign of sexual harassment became more severe beginning in 2000, and the anonymous woman claims that he would press his body into her breasts and grab her rear end.
In a 2002 incident, the woman alleges that Liles came on to her before she reject him.
She claims he then forcibly raped her even as she continued to resist him.
Regarding UMG and Def Jam’s connection to the lawsuit, she says that the labels ‘now only knew or should have known’ about the executive’s ‘propensity to commit the aforementioned crimes of violence,’ but that they also enabled his behavior with subordinate employees.
Jane Doe’s attorney, Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC partner Lucas B. Franken, said in a statement to Variety: ‘We commend our client for her determination to seek justice for the sexual abuse she endured, as well as the sheer bravery it took to come forward against a well-known, celebrity figure.
Jane Doe, who started working at Def Jam to work as an executive assistant to the general manager around 1999, said Liles began sexually harassing her shortly afterward; seen in the 1990s in NYC
She claims the sexual harassment picked up from 2000 to 2002, and that Liles would press his body into her breasts and grab her rear end; seen with Lyor Cohen in 2004 in Puerto Rico
In a 2002 incident, the woman alleges that Liles came on to her before she reject him. She claims he then forcibly raped her even as she continued to resist him
‘In our lengthy experience defending sexual abuse victims, we have witnessed a common thread and that is that they are often not alone in their abuse,’ he continued. ‘Based on the violent and egregious conduct, we expect that others were also abused, and we hope that they can also come forward to share their experiences and pursue justice.’
In 2023, Liles was named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed against the singer Trey Songz, whom he manages.
The anonymous woman who filed the suit alleged that the executive had turned a blind eye to multiple accusations against Songz.
The lawsuit, which requested $25 million in damages, was settled last year.
In September of last year, Liles announced via internal memo that he was stepping down as executive vice president at Warner Music Group, announced.
The music executive, who rose to the upper echelons of the music industry after getting his start as a DJ, also announced that he would be leaving Warner’s subsidiary record label 300 Elektra Entertainment.
He served as the chairman and CEO of the label, which was the descendant of 300 Entertainment, which he co-founded in 2012 with Lyor Cohen, Roger Gold and Todd Moscowitz.
Although Liles said his ‘short-term’ goals post retirement were to help elect Kamala Harris ‘as the first African–American female President,’ and to support Democratic candidates in the House and Senate, he didn’t otherwise share a reason for his departure
In September of last year, Liles announced via internal memo that he was stepping down as executive vice president at Warner Music Group , announced; pictured in July 2022 in London
Liles served as executive vice president for Warner Music Group, as well as chairman and CEO of its subsidiary label 300 Elektra Music. He joined Warner in 2022 after it absorbed 300 Entertainment
Liles’ departure comes as Warner Music Group is in the midst of a major shakeup in its leadership team.
It was previously announced that Max Lousada, CEO of recorded music for Warner, and Atlantic Recording Group Chairman Julie Greenwald would be leaving their roles (Atlantic is a major subsidiary of Warner Music Group).
Warner Music CEO Robert Kyncl shared in his own internal memo that there was no one currently stepping into Liles’ role at 300 Elektra Entertainment.
Instead, the current 300 executives Rayna Bass and Selim Bouab will be running things, though they will report directly to Kyncl.
Liles said in his own memo that he will still be a part of the transition. He announced he would step down at the end of September, but he planned to continue to serve as a consultant to WMG and 300 Elektra Entertainment through the end of the year.
Kyncl also noted in his memo that the 10K Projects founder Elliot Grainge would be replacing Atlantic’s departing CEO Greenwald, and he will also be reporting directly to Kyncl.
Liles came into Warner Music Group’s orbit in 2022, after the conglomerate bought 300 Entertainment for $400 million.
In an internal memo and an X post, Liles said he would leave at the end of September, but he planned to stay on as a consultant for Warner through the end of the year
Liles co-founded 300 Entertainment in 2012, and a year later it signed a distribution deal with Warner subsidiary Atlantic Records; pictured September 13 in Washington, DC
Liles’s 300 Elektra Entertainment has represented artists including Megan Thee Stallion (pictured September 11 at the MTV VMAs), Young Thug, Migos, Gunna and Mary J. Blige
The formerly independent label managed to attract an impressive roster of hitmakers, including the embattled rapper Young Thug, Megan Thee Stallion, Mary J. Blige, Metro Boomin and Fetty Wap, among others.
Gunna and Migos have also been represented in the past, while Megan Thee Stallion also has another deal directly with Warner.
In his memo, Liles introduced his successors by writing, ‘As committed servants of the culture, we know growing and empowering the next generation of leaders is a responsibility, and when the time is right, we pass the torch.’
In Kyncl’s memo, the Warner CEO praised Liles’ ‘positive energy’ and called him a charismatic leaders who’s been successful in many different roles… artist manager, label founder, entrepreneur, senior executive… he even started out as a DJ and songwriter.’
