Pat Stay received justice as his killer was sentenced to serve at least 17 years behind bars before becoming eligible for parole.
Adam Drake, 34, was convicted of second-degree murder in June for fatally stabbing the legendary battle rapper in a downtown Halifax bar in September 2022.
Justice Scott Norton of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court set Drake’s parole ineligibility on Friday, describing the murder as “inexplicable, needless, senseless and gratuitous.”
The Crown had requested 20 to 23 years, while Drake’s defense suggested 13 to 15 years.
“Mr. Drake is a dangerous man,” Crown prosecutor Carla Ball told the CBC outside court. “He walks in the community and causes grave threat to our society and that’s demonstrated by his criminal history, and the judge ruled in accordance with that.”
Drake’s sentencing is complicated by his previous conviction for first-degree murder in the 2016 shooting death of Tyler Keizer.
That conviction carries an automatic life sentence with 25 years minimum before parole eligibility. Drake must serve both sentences concurrently, meaning he’ll serve approximately 25 years total.
Stay’s widow, Malyssa Burns, attended Friday’s hearing along with family and friends who packed the courtroom. She had posted on social media that she would not speak at the hearing because she could not address Drake directly.
The battle rap community continues mourning the loss of Pat Stay, who was regarded as one of the greatest battle rappers of all time.
His career spanned multiple leagues, including KOTD, URL, RBE, Don’t Flop and UDubb, where he consistently delivered must-see performances that elevated the entire culture.
Pat Stay was one of the most decorated battle rappers in Hip-Hop history.
The Dartmouth, Nova Scotia native was a three-time King of the Dot champion and headlined the league’s World Domination event six times – more than legendary battlers like Dizaster and Arsonal, who each appeared four times.
Stay’s influence on battle rap culture was immeasurable.
His performances on Elements Battle League caught the attention of Drect, who credited Pat Stay as inspiration for creating Grindtime in 2008.
The Canadian battle rap icon defended his KOTD championship title against elite competitors, including Dizaster, Daylyt, Charron and Illmac.
His championship reign featured some of the most legendary battles in the league’s history, with his Dizaster battle considered a legitimate contender for best battle of all time.
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