Chance the Rapper Dodges Near $4M Bullet in Manager Lawsuit

Photo Credit: Chance the Rapper (Instagram)

Chance the Rapper’s five-year-plus legal battle with his former manager is finally over, and he gets $35 out of the deal. And no, that’s not a typo.

After more than five years, Chance the Rapper’s legal battle with his former manager, Pat Corcoran (AKA, Pat the Manager), finally came to an end on Friday. A Cook County jury ruled that Pat failed to prove he was owed the nearly $4 million in unpaid commissions and royalties he was seeking from his former friend and client.

Moreover, the jury ruled in Chance’s favor in his countersuit against Pat, which was combined with the former suit for the purposes of going to trial. Originally, Chance was seeking $1 million in damages in his countersuit, but jurors decided that Pat must pay Chance a mere $35—yes, just $35. The court also recommended that Pat turn over the domain name ChanceRaps.com, where he had previously sold Chance the Rapper merch.

“We respect the jury’s decision, but the message to music managers is clear: Get it in writing,” said Jay Scharkey, an attorney representing Pat the Manager. “The jury award of $35 speaks to how seriously the jury viewed Chance’s case.”

Previously, Pat Corcoran claimed he and Chance, whose real name is Chancelor Bennett, had a “sunset clause” agreement that entitled him to three years of earnings following his termination in April 2020. In 2021, Chance filed his countersuit against Pat, alleging breach of duty.

“There’s not one single document in the seven years they worked together that shows any evidence of a sunset,” said Chance the Rapper’s lead attorney, Precious Jacobs-Perry, who also alleged that Corcoran was overpaid by more than $300,000 before his termination.

“Chance sued Pat on principle after learning about the things Pat was doing behind his back,” Jacobs-Perry explained to the jury. “Chance decided to stand up for himself and artists everywhere. He made a choice early in his career to be independent, to own his own music, and be free from labels and third parties, […] and it defined everything that followed.”