Late battle rapper Pat Stay honoured at annual celebration of life in Dartmouth
Remembering Battle Rapper Pat Stay
Family and friends of late battle rapper Pat Stay gathered on Saturday in Dartmouth for an annual celebration of life, the first since his killer’s murder trial concluded in June.
“It’s a day to remember our fallen brother, the legendary, the iconic Pat Stay,” said Halifax rapper Quake Matthews, who helped organize the event.
Stay was revered for his skill as a battle rapper by fans around the world and honoured by titans of the industry, like Eminem and Drake, following his death.
“A lot of larger-than-life figures, they just remain that … but Pat was actually someone who touched the community and took the time to have one-on-one conversations with fans and … average people, which you don’t usually get with a lot of superstars of that magnitude,” said Matthews.
‘Moving on forward with Pat in my heart’
Stay Day has taken place every September in Dartmouth Cove, next to a memorial wall featuring a mural of Stay, since he was fatally stabbed at a Halifax nightclub three years ago.
In June, Adam Drake was found guilty of killing Stay and convicted of second-degree murder.
Stay’s spouse, Malyssa Burns, says she’s felt an immense weight off her shoulders since the trial ended.
“The trial was by far one of the worst moments of my life,” she said. “And then I didn’t expect such a relief once it was over.”
With the trial behind her, she said it’s easier to appreciate this year’s celebration.
In Stay’s absence, she’s felt his impact everywhere she goes with her children, from seeing his mural in Dartmouth, to stickers at coffee shops, and comments and posts on social media.
“The most tragic, awful thing in the world happened to me and my family, but my kids feel the love, I feel the love every day,” said Burns.
While Burns still has bad days, she said the support from her family and friends has helped her keep going,
“It’s always going to be hard to move on. I don’t even like saying the word move on. That makes me emotional thinking that I’m moving on from Pat. But I’m moving on forward with Pat in my heart.”
