Was it a hoax? Lil Tay, the 14-year-old Canadian internet rapper and her 21-year-old brother, Jason Tian, are not actually dead!
One day after the supposed tragic death of the siblings was announced on her official Instagram account the provocative performer and social media influencer — who found internet fame at age 9 with her foul-mouthed antics and cash flashing before abruptly dropping off social media in 2018 — has surfaced to say it was a hoax and that her account was hacked.
“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,” Tay told TMZ on Thursday. “It’s been a very traumatizing 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.”
She said her Instagram account “was compromised by a 3rd party” and it was “used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not ‘Claire Hope.'” She thanked Meta, owner of Instagram, for helping her get back into her account.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing,” the Instagram message said on Wednesday. “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 has since been deleted, but the news of the two deaths was confirmed by Tay’s management to Variety, lending credibility to it. Was it possible that her own team did not know whether she was alive or dead?
Doubts quickly grew when media outlets weren’t able to confirm the deaths in Vancouver or the Los Angeles area, where she has resided. Tay’s ex-manager Harry Tsang told outlets that the situation called for “cautious consideration” and said he “cannot definitively confirm or dismiss the legitimacy of the statement issued by the family.” Tay’s own father, Christopher Hope, was reached at his law office by the New York Post and said he was “not able to give you any comment right now. I’m sorry — I can’t.” Asked whether someone else could confirm the news, he said, “Um, no, not that that I’m aware of.”
Since Tay’s announcement that her death wasn’t a hoax, there is no new update on the platform further trying to clarify these statements.
Users on social media have a few suggestions about what may have happened. Many say they have never heard of her.
“I’ve been on YouTube since 2006, and my work obliges me to spend a significant amount of time there every week. I’ve seen massive amounts of content that adults watch, as well as quite a bit of the content that kids watch–but I’ve never seen this girl before. Not one video, not one still photo. I’ve never spoken to anyone who’s allegedly a fan or follower of hers. I’ve never even heard the name “Lil Tay,” and I suspect we’ll hear nothing further about her now that the hoax has run its course. There’s something deeply suspicious and wrong-smelling about this entire story. “
