Chance The Rapper Wins Small Award In Victorious Case Against Ex-Manager

BY Gabriel Bras Nevares
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Chance The Rapper Small Award Victorious Case Ex Manager
Chance The Rapper headlines at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater during Summerfest on Sept. 3, 2021. © Ebony Cox / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The jury's verdict in Pat Corcoran's unpaid commissions case against Chance The Rapper did not subject either side to significant penalty.

Chance The Rapper has been through a lot of significant career shifts over the years, and the latest one relates to his former manager, Pat "The Manager" Corcoran. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, a jury ruled in Chance's favor in their legal battle over unpaid commissions and royalties... But only a little bit.

For those unaware, Corcoran launched a lawsuit against The Rapper in November of 2020 that accused him of withholding due pay. The artist filed a countersuit that sought $1 million in damages.

A Cook County court combined both lawsuits for this jury trial, which lasted about two weeks. The jury in the case found that Corcoran did not adequately prove that his former client owed him $3.8 million. However, regarding the Chicago MC's countersuit, the court only awarded him $35 as a judgement. In addition, though, jurors reportedly recommended that Corcoran give up the ChanceRaps.com domain, on which he sold merchandise.

"I claim victory in the name of the Lord," the Secret Santa lyricist told the Sun-Times after the jury's verdict came through. "We respect the jury’s decision, but the message to music managers is clear: Get it in writing," Pat Corcoran's attorney Jay Scharkey reportedly stated. "The jury award of $35 speaks to how seriously the jury viewed Chance’s case."

Who Is Pat Corcoran?

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Name you know: Chance the Rapper Birth name: Chancelor Johnathan Bennett. © Nadia Zomorodian / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For those unaware, Pat Corcoran worked with Chance The Rapper from 2012 until 2020, shortly after the release of Chance's 2019 album The Big Day. He claimed he had a "sunset clause" with The Rapper that entitled him to payment for three years after termination.

The two apparently never had a written contract, and Chance's legal team accused Corcoran of business mismanagement, seeking personal gain, and lying about the existence of a "sunset clause." The manager's lawyers fired back by claiming he was not sufficiently paid for all the work he did.

We will see where the "Touch The Ground" artist's career goes next as he can finally put this legal battle behind him. He's already moved on from that management, and so has Corcoran. But now, they can truly call this a sunset to their debacle.

About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case. Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.

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