September 4 marks the anniversary of the death of Canadian battle rapper Pat Stay, who was fatally stabbed in downtown Halifax in 2022. He was 36.

Stay came out of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and became one of the most recognizable Canadian names in modern battle rap. His strength was not limited to punchlines. He had timing, composure, and a feel for the room that allowed him to turn a reaction into part of the performance. That mattered in person, but it also translated through filmed battles watched by audiences far beyond the venue.

Coverage of his career commonly points to roughly 40 recorded battles, including high-profile matchups that helped establish him as a serious international competitor. He could be funny without losing the edge of the competition, and he understood how to make a round feel conversational before landing the line everyone came to remember. That combination made his performances accessible even to people who did not follow every corner of the battle-rap circuit.

His death was reported by CBC News after the Halifax stabbing, and tributes followed from rappers and battle leagues across the community. The circumstances remain part of the public record, but they do not need to define the whole story. Stay’s lasting contribution was the standard he set for presence, writing, and showmanship—and the visibility he helped bring to Canadian battle rap.