Last Friday (March 20), a jury delivered a decision that stated that Chance The Rapper’s former friend and manager, Pat Corcoran, failed to prove that he was owed $3.8 million in unpaid royalties and commissions he sought from the artist. The ruling took place in Cook County, Illinois.
The jury also ruled in favor of a countersuit by Chance The Rapper, also known as Chancellor Bennett. The countersuit was initially for $1 million, and was combined with Corcoran’s lawsuit for the trial to proceed. Jurors decided that Corcoran would instead pay $35 and that the former manager would turn over the ChanceRaps.com internet domain, which was used to sell merchandise.
The trial covered the breadth of the relationship between the popular Chicago rapper and his manager, which lasted from 2012 to 2020 and saw the two be hailed as a shining example of a successful independent artist and manager relationship. “Chance wanted to be famous and Pat wanted to help,” Corcoran’s lawyer Robert Sweeney said during the trial. “Pat believed in the mission and Pat was going to do whatever it took to make Chance famous.”
Corcoran claimed that there was an agreement between him and Chance The Rapper that entitled him to 15% of the artist’s net profits from any project that he worked on, no matter when the money was paid out and even if he was to be fired. Chance’s legal team argued that there was no written contract. The two came together and had a verbal agreement and handshake deal in 2013, according to the Chiccgo Sun-Times.
Precious Jacobs-Perry, Chance The Rapper’s lead attorney, also stated that Corcoran was attempting to get kickbacks, and mishandled business partnerships with merchandise companies. “Chance sued Pat on principle after learning about the things Pat was doing behind his back,” she said during the trial.
“I claim victory in the name of the Lord,” Chance The Rapper said after the verdict. “We respect the jury’s decision, but the message to music managers is clear: Get it in writing,” said Jay Scharkey, another of Corcoran’s lawyers. “The jury award of $35 speaks to how seriously the jury viewed Chance’s case.”
