Canadian rapper Pat Stay died in the early morning hours Sunday after being stabbed in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax Regional Police announced in a statement. His death is being investigated as a homicide.
Police said they found the 36-year-old, whose full name is Patrick Wayne Stay, at around 12:35 a.m. Stay was rushed to a hospital, where he died. The Nova Scotia Medical Examiner determined his cause of death later that day.
“Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones during this difficult time,” Halifax Regional Police said in a statement. Stay had two young children.
Hip-hop luminaries including Eminem and Drake paid their respects. Stay, who made his bones trading lyrical blows with skilled opponents in head-to-head rap battles, starred in the 2017 Eminem-produced film “Bodied” about the underground scene.
“hiphop lost one of the best battlers of all time … RIP @patstay .. KINGS NEVER DIE,” tweeted Eminem, whose real name is Marshall Mathers.
Stay was highly respected by peers — Drake even skipped the 2015 Grammy Awards to watch him win a rap battle.
“That was a blessing and an honour,” Stay told Canadian outlet The Signal in 2020. “I won that title match and it was an honour to do it in front of Drake.”
The fellow Canadian rapper paid tribute in an Instagram Story with overlaid text that read: “RIP to the Sucka Free Boss.. One of my fav rappers ever.” Drake also called him “one of, if not, the best” in the comments of a song Stay recently posted on the social media platform.
Stay told The Signal he loved Halifax and never “found a reason to go anywhere else.” A memorial campaign launched on GoFundMe has raised more than $139,000 out of an $800,000 goal to finance the late rapper’s funeral and support his family.
“Pat Stay was a very honorable man who was on his way to a bright future,” the campaign organizers wrote. “Our heart hurts for his family and friends at this time so we hope to help ease some of the pain by ensuring his family has help through this process.
No arrests have yet been made, according to CNN. Police said in a statement that the “investigation is in its preliminary stages and is being led by homicide investigators from the Special Investigations Section of the Integrated Criminal Investigation Division.”