Chance The Rapper's ex-manager suing him for $3million

Pat Corcoran, also known as Pat the Manager, filed a lawsuit against Chance The Rapper last week (30 November) in Illinois, claiming he's owed $3million in unpaid commissions.

According to Music Business Worldwide, the lawsuit revealed that Corcoran was fired as Chance The Rapper's manager in April 2020 after having worked together since 2012. Chance The Rapper, real name Chancelor Bennett, replaced Corcoran with his own brother (Taylor Bennett) and father (Ken Bennett).

The lawsuit sees Corcoran claim that he's owed over $3million in unpaid commissions from across Chance The Rapper's businesses after entering an alleged oral agreement with Chance The Rapper in 2013 in which the rapper agreed to pay his former manager 15% of his net profits from merchandise, tours, music streams and sales, branding deals and endorsements, and more. Corcoran is also seeking to earn commissions for three years following his manager role termination based on a "sunset clause".

As Pitchfork reports, Corcoran's lawsuit states that their oral agreement was honoured until April 2020, when Corcoran was fired as Chance The Rapper's manager. Corcoran is seeking the $3million in unpaid commissions from streams and sales from Chance The Rapper's 10 Day, Acid Rap, and The Big Day projects, and his involvement in season two of Netflix's Rhythm + Flow series.

The lawsuit reveals that their relationship started to take a turn for the worst when Chance The Rapper announced a release date for his debut album The Big Day. Corcoran claims Bennett didn't consult his manager despite Corcoran advising Bennett against his desired timeline. The lawsuit states, "Given the significant amount of work, care, and attention needed to produce an album, Corcoran expressed serious concern with the projected release date Bennett had unilaterally announced for the album. Corcoran knew that in view of the commitments Bennett had in early 2019 - including his own wedding - it was likely there was not enough time for the creative process that was involved in releasing an album, and Corcoran advised Bennett in that regard."

"Corcoran opposed announcing the release of any album before the recording or writing process even began, let alone was substantially completed," the lawsuit adds. "Compounding the issue, Bennett’s recording efforts were compromised by unproductive and undisciplined studio sessions. Procrastination and lackadaisical effort, perpetuated by various hangers-on uninterested in the hard work of writing and recording, resulted in a freestyle-driven product of sub-par quality, a complete deviation from the meticulous writing process that brought Bennett fame for his wordplay and wit."

Later, the lawsuit claims that Chance The Rapper's tour for The Big Day was postponed and eventually cancelled due to "low ticket sales and poor attendance projections."

Representatives for Chance the Rapper responded to Corcoran's lawsuit to Pitchfork, stating, "Mr. Corcoran has filed a suit for allegedly unpaid commissions. In fact, Mr. Corcoran has been paid all of the commissions to which he is legally entitled. Most of the complaint consists of self-serving and fabricated allegations that are wholly unrelated to Mr. Corcoran’s claim for commissions and were plainly included in a calculated attempt to seek attention. Those allegations are wholly without merit, are grossly offensive and we will respond to them within the context of the litigation."