Chance the Rapper Defeats Pat the Manager’s Claims in Chicago Contract Trial

A jury has rejected legal claims brought against Chance the Rapper by his longtime manager Pat Corcoran , known as Pat the Manager. Chicago jurors came back with the verdict on Friday night (March 20) following a two-and-a-half week trial in the messy legal battle between Chance (born Chancelor Bennett) and Corcoran, who were once inseparable but parted ways on bad terms a few years back.

Corcoran first sued Chance in 2020, alleging he was owed $3.8 million in unpaid commissions — including under a so-called “sunset clause” that ran three years post-termination — even though the two never had a written contract. The jury rejected those claims on Friday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times . Jurors also sided with Chance on his 2021 countersuit , which accused Cocoran of breaching fiduciary duties and exploiting career opportunities for his own benefit.

But they awarded the rapper only $35 in damages, per the Sun-Times , rather than the $1 million sought by Chance. In a statement sent to Billboard , Jay Scharkey , an attorney for Corcoran, said, “We respect the...