Chance the Rapper has been sued by his former manager Pat Corcoran for the sum of $3 million. This comes after Chance fired the former manager back in April 2019 and allegedly refused to pay his commissions.
According to the lawsuit Corcoran accuses his former client of ignoring his professional advice, then blaming him for the mixed response from fans to 2019 album ‘The Big Day’ and subsequent lacklustre ticket sales, firing him in April this year, and then refusing to pay commissions that are owed.
In the lawsuit, Corcoran details the role he played in building the Chance the Rapper brand as well as the deals that he pushed through for the rapper. The former manager also revealed that he enjoyed a good partnership with his client until Chance announced, without consulting or informing his manager, that he would release his first studio album proper in July that year.
“Given the significant amount of work, care and attention needed to produce an album”, the lawsuit goes on, “Corcoran expressed serious concern with the projected release date Bennett had unilaterally announced for the album”.
The former manager argued that it was not advisable for Chance to release an album at the time due to time factor as the rapper was also scheduled to be married around the same time which lead to unrealistic timeline, along with “unproductive and undisciplined studio sessions,” resulted in a “freestyle-driven product of sub-part quality.”
“Given the significant amount of work, care and attention needed to produce an album,” the lawsuit says, “Corcoran expressed serious concern with the projected release date Bennett had unilaterally announced for the album.”
The album after it’s release performed poorly even though it had some good reviews and tracks but even so, the lawsuit revealed that it was poor ticket sales for the tour, which was postponed and then eventually canceled.
“Instead of acknowledging the numerous distractions and artistic compromises that inevitably resulted from time wasted in the studio, all of which contributed to a lackluster album evidenced by historically low ticket sales, Bennett ultimately blamed Corcoran for the judgement rendered by his fanbase rather than accept that his own lack of dedication had doomed the project,” adds the suit.
On 27 Apr this year, Chance’s family announced that Corcoran and his company Pat The Manager were being terminated.
Corcoran in the lawsuit alleges that he is owed over $3 million, is suing for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and violation of the Illinois Sales Representative Act. He is also seeking an “industry standard” sunset clause, so that he can collect commissions for three more years. Chance’s father offered a one-off lump sum payment of $350,000, which Corcoran apparently refused.
