Despite a public statement on Lil Tay’s Instagram account telling the world that she and her older brother Jason had passed away, she has now shared that they are both “safe and alive” and her Instagram account had been “compromised”.
In a statement to TMZ, the child rapper, 14, said: “I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say.
“It’s been a very traumatising 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess.
“My Instagram account was compromised by a third party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumours regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not “Claire Hope”.”
The initial statement posted on child rapper Lil Tay’s Instagram page said that the popular influencer had passed away.
The statement read: “It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing. We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock. Her brother’s passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief.
“During this time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this overwhelming loss, as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother’s passing are still under investigation.”
The post claimed that her brother, Jason Tian, had also died, aged 21.
Despite the public statement, both Lil Tay’s father and her former manager couldn’t confirm or deny the rapper’s death. Similarly, the Los Angeles Police Department and the country medical examiner had no information on an investigation into the death of anyone named Claire Hope.
And former manager Harry Tsang told The Daily Beast that “given the complexities of the current circumstances” he was unable to “definitively confirm or dismiss the legitimacy of the statement issued by the family”.
Amid the confusing circumstances, many have found themselves wondering: who is Lil Tay?
Who is Lil Tay?
Lil Tay, real name Tay Tian, is a 14-year-old internet personality and child rapper.
The Atlanta native moved to Vancouver, Canada, and found fame at the age of nine when she claimed that she was the “youngest flexer of the century”, sharing pictures of herself in designer clothes and luxury cars. She also started to post rap videos on YouTube, attracting millions of viewers.
As her popularity grew, the youngster moved to Los Angeles, California, with her mother and older brother.
The peak of her popularity was in 2018 when she gained 2.4 million Instagram followers, created a three-episode television documentary called Life with Tay, and appeared on shows like Good Morning America.
Her mother and father were revealed to be in a custody battle amid rumours that Tay’s mother was forcing her into her social media career.
During an interview with Buzzfeed News, her mother shared that her older brother was managing her social media presence. Around the same time, a video was leaked that allegedly revealed Tay’s brother forcing her to say things and making her cry.
A month later, Lil Tay’s Instagram and YouTube videos were completely deleted to “rebrand” her image. In the months that followed, her Instagram account had abuse allegations made against her father, which a promoter said was posted by a hacker, while her manager Harry Tsang said it was Tay’s brother posting them.
The influencer stopped posting on Instagram in June 2018 altogether.
In 2019, New York’s The Cut reported that Lil Tay’s mother and brother had several business meetings about her without her involvement.
In 2021, Hola reported that Tay’s older brother launched a GoFundMe page to earn money on her behalf.
