Chance the Rapper Tells Court He Wishes He’d Fired His Former Manager Earlier
Sometimes music partnerships end quietly. Other times, they end in a courtroom. That is what is happening with Chance the Rapper and his former manager, Pat Corcoran. The Chicago artist…
Sometimes music partnerships end quietly. Other times, they end in a courtroom.
That is what is happening with Chance the Rapper and his former manager, Pat Corcoran. The Chicago artist recently took the stand to talk about their split and why he believes their working relationship should have ended earlier.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Chance appeared in court on Tuesday (March 10) as part of a jury trial connected to a lawsuit filed by Corcoran, who is also known as Pat The Manager.
A $3 Million Disagreement
Corcoran claims Chance still owes him $3 million in unpaid commissions after their professional relationship ended in 2020. He argues that the two had a “sunset clause,” which would allow him to continue earning a percentage of royalties for three years after being fired.
The problem is that the agreement was never written down. Corcoran says it was simply a handshake deal.
Chance told the court that he never believed such a clause existed in their arrangement.
"We never described it as a contract until he sued me. We had an at-will agreement that didn’t address termination," Chance (real name Chancelor Bennett) testified on Tuesday. "We moved that way forever. We never discussed the sunset clause, we just discussed how I’d pay him. And one thing that stayed consistent is that I paid him his 15 percent [in net proceeds]. … I kept paying him that 15 percent. I can’t think of one situation where he did meaningful work and I didn’t pay him."
Millions Already Paid
Chance also shared details about how much Corcoran earned during their years working together.
The rapper said he paid his former manager about $11 million between 2012 and 2020. According to Chance, Corcoran was easily the highest-paid person connected to his business operations.
Chance said Corcoran was "definitely the person that got paid the most" by his registered company, Chance the Rapper LLC.
Looking back on the partnership, Chance admitted he now believes he should have ended it earlier.
"I probably should have fired him [sooner]," he added, suggesting that various business moves that his former manager made in 2017 and 2018 had him questioning his loyalty.
Lawsuits Going Both Ways
The legal battle began in November 2020 when Corcoran sued Chance the same year he was fired. Chance tried to have the lawsuit dismissed but also filed his own countersuit in 2021.
In that filing, Chance asked for $1 million in damages. He argued that several business decisions Corcoran made for his career were designed more to benefit the manager than the artist.
After the split, Chance reorganized his team by bringing in family members. His father, Ken Bennett, and his brother Taylor Bennett, who is also a recording artist, stepped in to help manage his career.
Disagreement Over The Big Day
Corcoran’s lawsuit also touches on the reaction to Chance’s 2019 album The Big Day. The project divided fans and critics, and the tour planned to support the album struggled with ticket sales.
Corcoran claims he was fired because of "fan disappointment" connected to the album and the tour.
Chance offered a different explanation in court. He said there were disagreements about how he should respond after the album came out.
"My dad was trying to get me in front of people, and Pat’s idea was for me not to be in front of people," Chance testified.
The trial continues as both sides try to convince the jury whose version of their once successful partnership is the real story.
