Man Arrested for Murder of Battle Rapper

A Canadian man was arrested earlier this month in the murder of rapper, Pat Stay. On Sept. 10, Adam Drake was charged with first-degree murder in the death of the battle rapper. The 36-year-old performer was stabbed in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia in the early morning hours of Sept. 4. Drake, 31, is facing a first-degree murder charge.

Drake was arrested in Tantallon, police said Sunday. He appeared in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Halifax via video link, reports CBC News. He will remain in custody until his next court appearance. His next court date was postponed until Oct. 27 as his attorneys wait for disclosure from prosecutors.

Drake was previously charged in connection with the 2016 death of Tyler Keizer, 27, in Halifax. He was charged with first-degree murder, reports Global News. Keizer was shot on Nov. 21, 2016, and later died at a nearby hospital. Drake was arraigned in 2019, but the charge was dropped days before his trial was set to start in October 2021. Keizer’s stepmother April Keizer and sister Justine attended Drake’s court hearing Monday to support Stay’s family.

“We also want answers in our own case,” April Keizer told Global News. “I’m hoping that new evidence, or people who were once afraid to come forward, will finally come forward… Maybe we can get some of these other murders solved… We just want the Stay family to know that we support them 100%, that we’re here if they need anything, and we’re so sorry for their loss.”

After Monday’s hearing, Senior Crown Attorney Rick Woodburn told reporters the investigation into Keizer’s murder is ongoing and it was not linked to Stay’s death. “Mr. Drake’s background and these particular charges, one has nothing to do with the other,” the prosecutor explained. “These are new charges. This is a new homicide. We’re going to focus on this – the investigation and the eventual prosecution of Mr. Drake in this matter.”

Woodburn and Nova Scotia police have not released details on how Drake was linked to Stay’s murder. However, police have asked the public for help in locating a cell phone that may have been found near the scene of the homicide. A cellphone was turned over to police, Halifax Regional Police spokesperson John MacLeod said, but they are unsure if it is the one they are looking for. Anyone with information on Stay’s death is asked to call police at 902-490-5020 or submit an anonymous tip at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) and crimestoppers.ns.ca.

Stay’s funeral was held over the weekend. His friends established a GoFundMe page to help his family, raising over CAD $210,000. “You have this battle rapper who, on stage, comes across as this very strong, ferocious-type being… but then, in person, anyone who knows him would tell you that he’s a gentle giant,” Stay’s friend Verena Rizg told CBC’s Information Morning last week.