Chance The Rapper reportedly wins at trial against his former manager and receives $35.
On March 20, following a two-week trial, a Cook County, Ill., jury took just a few hours to return a verdict in favor of the Chicago rapper, who was being sued for $3.8 million, including $1.6 million in sunset clause–related commissions and $2.2 million for work that allegedly went unpaid.
Pat “The Manager” Corcoran originally sued Chano in 2020, claiming he was owed a post-termination settlement after being let go by the rapper in 2019. However, he had no proof of the agreement. The jury decided he failed to prove his case.
In addition to the ruling on Pat’s case, the jury also ruled in favor of Chance for his $1 million countersuit, which claimed Pat breached his fiduciary duties and leveraged the Chance The Rapper brand for personal gain. However, the jury only awarded Chance $35 because he was unable to present evidence from which the jury could determine a fair and reasonable value for the loss he was claiming to have incurred.
They also recommended Pat turn over the domain ChanceRaps.com, which was used to sell Chance The Rapper merch.
“I claim victory in the name of the. Lord,” Chance told the Chicago Sun-Times following the verdict.
Pat’s attorney, Jay Scharkey, also released a statement after the ruling.
“We respect the jury’s decision, but the message to music managers is clear: Get it in writing,” Scharkey said. “The jury award of $35 speaks to how seriously the jury viewed Chance’s case.”
During the trial, Chance admitted he never had a written contract with Pat and instead had an “at-will agreement that didn’t address termination.”
XXL has reached out to Chance The Rapper’s team and Pat The Manager’s attorney for comment.
See Rappers Who Beat Major Legal Cases and Walked Away With a Victory
Hip-hop came out with a win in some way in these cases.
