Chance the Rapper has reached the end of a five-year legal battle with his former manager, Pat Corcoran. Following jury deliberations in a trial that ran for just over two weeks, the artist born Chancelor Bennett was awarded $35 in his countersuit against Corcoran, who he alleged exploited his position as manager, demanded kickbacks, and damaged the musician’s reputation.
The lawsuit, which sought $1 million, was initially filed in February 2021. It arrived just over two months after Corcoran filed his own lawsuit seeking $3.8 million in unpaid expenses and commissions from the rapper related to touring, merchandise, and other responsibilities.
Bennett and Corcoran met in 2012 and soon after “reached an oral agreement under which Mr. Corcoran would manage Mr. Bennett’s music career and, during that tenure, would be compensated for his services with 15% of the net profits that Mr. Bennett earned from the exploitation of his music,” according to documents from the countersuit.
But as this agreement was never put into writing, Corcoran was ultimately unsuccessful in his pursuit of damages after being dismissed as Bennett’s manager in April 2020 due to “Mr. Corcoran’s inattention, incompetence, betrayals, and competing business direction could not be ignored, and Mr. Bennett determined that Mr. Corcoran was an increasing liability to his career.” Bennett’s management team now includes his father, Ken Bennett, and his brother, Taylor Bennett. In his suit, Corcoran claimed that the two family members “eroded” the rapper’s confidence in him.
In a statement via the Chicago Sun Times, Corcoran’s lawyer Jay Scharkey said, “We respect the jury’s decision, but the message to music managers is clear: Get it in writing. The jury award of $35 speaks to how seriously the jury viewed Chance’s case.”
Bennett told the outlet, “I claim victory in the name of the Lord.” His lawyer, Precious Jacobs-Perry, added, “The jury heard the evidence for more than two weeks and reached the correct conclusion: Mr. Bennett never agreed to pay commissions after his management relationship with Pat Corcoran ended, and Mr. Corcoran’s breached their contract. This ruling is not only a victory for Mr. Bennett, it is a victory for independent artists everywhere. … And, above all, we are happy for our client who has been standing on principle for years.“
