Chance The Rapper testifies against his former manager over $3 million contract dispute.
Patrick Corcoran’s trial against his former client Chance The Rapper is underway in Cook County, Illinois. The case stems from a 2020 lawsuit in which Pat claimed he had a handshake deal with the Chicago rapper to receive 15% of the net proceeds from all revenue streams, including a sunset clause where Pat would be paid three years after being fired.
Chance was called to testify on Tuesday (March 10) and gave a different account than Pat’s complaint. According to him, he was never aware of the existence of a sunset clause in their arrangement.
“We never described it as a contract until he sued me. We entered into an at-will agreement that did not address the termination,” he reportedly testified, according to a March 10 article in the Chicago Sun-Times.
“We just moved away forever. We never discussed the sunset clause, we just discussed how I was going to pay him,” he continued. “One thing that’s consistent is I paid him 15 percent [in net proceeds]. I always paid him the 15%. ”
“I can’t think of a situation where he did meaningful work and I didn’t pay him,” he added.
Chance, whose real name is Chancellor Jonathan Bennett, said in his testimony that he paid Pat a total of $11 million during their working relationship from 2012 to 2020. He also added that Pat is definitely the highest paid person on the payroll of his company, Chance the Rapper LLC.
Pat Corcoran, aka “Manager Pat,” claims in his lawsuit that he was fired in 2019 because “fans were disappointed with the rapper’s album ‘The Big Day'” and due to low ticket sales for the tour. Pat will be succeeded by Chance’s father, Ken Bennett, and brother, Tyler Bennett. Despite this, Pat claims Chano did not abide by their separation agreement. He seeks $3.8 million in unpaid commissions, as well as exemplary damages for breach of the agreement and related violations of the Illinois Sales Representative Act.
In 2021, Chance countersued, seeking more than $1 million in damages. He claimed Pat failed in his management duties, claiming he was disloyal and put his own interests first, resulting in business deals that damaged the rapper’s career. The case has not yet gone to trial.
The civil trial between the rapper Chance and his former manager is expected to last about two weeks.
Watch FOX 32 Chicago’s video: Latest updates on Chance The Rapper’s legal battle with ex-manager
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