Hip hop artist Chance The Rapper has filed a lawsuit against his former manager Pat Corcoran, who sued the rapper for $2.5 million last fall on allegations of breach of contract. Chance The Rapper, real name Chancellor Bennett, has asked for Corcoran’s charges to be dismissed, while alleging that the former manager was the one to breach contract.
Corcoran alleges that Bennett allegedly violated an oral agreement, wherein both parties agreed to pay Corcoran 15 percent of Bennett’s net profits stemming from Chance-related merchandise, tours and concerts, mixtape and album streams and sales, branding deals and endorsements and film and TV ventures. Both parties agree that a 15 percent agreement took place, however Bennett’s camp deny withholding payments.
“Mr. Corcoran has been paid in full under his management services contract with Mr. Bennett,” Bennett’s legal team said in a statement to Pitchfork. “Yet he chose to file a groundless and insulting lawsuit that ignores his own improper self-dealing and incompetence. Mr. Bennett has moved to dismiss the majority of that meritless lawsuit, and filed his own lawsuit to remedy the harm that Mr. Corcoran caused through his breaches of duty. Mr. Bennett trusts the legal system to reveal the truth of the parties’ relationship in due course.”
Bennett’s lawsuit also alleges that Corcoran’s role and influence over the rapper’s career was overstated, crediting the rapper’s father Ken Bennett and his brother Taylor Bennett in amplifying his success. His camp denies claims that Corcoran helped book major support acts following the success of Acid Rap and refutes the allegation that the former manager was fired due to “fan disappointment in Bennett’s most recent album (The Big Day) and underwhelming fan support for its associated tour.” In contrast, Bennett’s camp alleges that The Big Day “received many favorable reviews” and alleged that Corcoran “had all but abandoned his management responsibilities prior to and during the creation of the album,” while focusing on other ventures.
Corcoran’s camp responded with their own statement, alleging that “the defendants have elected to attack Mr. Corcoran’s character and rewrite history.” The manager’s camp also state that Corcoran is proud of the work he did with the rapper and allege that “the contrasting results when Mr. Corcoran was sidelined—are evident to the public.”
“Rather than confront the substance of Pat the Manager’s claims, the defendants have elected to attack Mr. Corcoran’s character and rewrite history,” Corcoran’s camp states. “The aspersions cast by the Chance camp are offensive and do not reflect the reality of the relationship that Mr. Corcoran and Mr. Bennett developed over many years of collaboration. The results of the pair’s fruitful teamwork—and the contrasting results when Mr. Corcoran was sidelined—are evident to the public. Mr. Corcoran is proud of the work he did on Mr. Bennett’s behalf, and is proud of the work he continues to perform for other talented artists. Mr. Corcoran looks forward to presenting his claims and airing out the defendants’ baseless accusations in court.”
Bennett has been keeping busy outside of the suit, hosting special VR livestream back in December in celebration of the holidays.
Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna
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