Chance the Rapper Prevails in Legal Battle with Ex-Manager

Jury rules Chance's former friend and business partner failed to prove claim for $3.8 million in unpaid commissions and royalties.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 2:03am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

After a two-week trial, a Cook County jury took just a few hours to decide that Chance the Rapper's former manager, Pat Corcoran, had failed to prove his claim that he was owed $3.8 million in unpaid commissions and royalties. The jury also ruled in Chance's countersuit, ordering Corcoran to pay Chance $35 and turn over the internet domain ChanceRaps.com.

Why it matters

This case highlights the challenges that can arise in the music industry when a successful independent artist-manager partnership breaks down. It raises questions about the importance of clear, written contracts, as well as the potential for conflicts of interest and disputes over compensation.

The details

Corcoran had claimed he and Chance had an alleged 'sunset clause' entitling him to three years of earnings after he was terminated in April 2020 amid the fallout from Chance's critically panned album 'The Big Day.' However, Chance's legal team argued that the two former partners never had a written contract, and that Corcoran was overpaid by $312,300 before his termination. Chance's team also alleged that Corcoran mishandled several business deals and was trying to collect kickbacks to benefit his separate management company.

  • The five-year-plus legal battle between Chance The Rapper and his former manager, Pat Corcoran, ended on March 20, 2026.
  • Corcoran was terminated as Chance's manager in April 2020.

The players

Chance the Rapper

A Grammy-winning rapper, whose real name is Chancellor Bennett. He and Corcoran had a successful independent artist-manager partnership from 2012 to 2020.

Pat Corcoran

Chance's former manager, who claimed he was owed $3.8 million in unpaid commissions and royalties after being terminated in 2020.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I claim victory in the name of the. Lord”

— Chance the Rapper

“You'll hear this is a case about greed and people trying to glom onto someone famous and take from them. But that's not what this story is. It's about when someone becomes famous and forgets what it took to get him there.”

— Robert Sweeney, Lead attorney for Pat Corcoran

“There's not one single document in the seven years they worked together that shows any evidence of a sunset. Instead, Corcoran's legal team had relied on 'unfounded personal attacks' that tried to paint Bennett as someone 'a flake and lazy' while making 'The Big Day.'”

— Precious Jacobs-Perry, Lead attorney for Chance the Rapper

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of clear, written contracts in the music industry, as well as the potential for conflicts of interest and disputes over compensation when a successful independent artist-manager partnership breaks down. It also underscores the challenges artists can face in maintaining control over their careers and creative output as they achieve greater fame and success.