Lil Tay Not Dead; Child Rapper & Viral Social Media Personality Says Her Instagram Was Hacked – Update
UPDATED, 4:45 AM: Lil Tay is not dead, as reported Wednesday. The child rapper and viral social media personality said in a statement to TMZ from her family on Thursday that her official Instagram account, where the death was reported, was “compromised by a 3rd party and 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.'”
The post now has been removed from Instagram.
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PREVIOUSLY, August 9: The child rapper and viral social media personality known as Lil Tay has died. She was 14.
A statement from Lil Tay’s family was posted on her verified Instagram account informing of the teen’s “sudden and tragic passing” only days after her brother died. No details were given.
“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,” reads the statement. “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.”
The statement continued, “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.”
“Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her.”
Lil Tay became a social media sensation back in 2018 when she was 9 years old, calling herself the “youngest flexer of the century.” Her social media following grew exponentially, amassing more than 220K subscribers on YouTube and 3 million-plus followers on Instagram.
Back in 2019, Lil Tay’s success was credited to her brother Jason Tian. It is unclear if Jason is the brother the statement says died days before Tay.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CvuphvirkOz/
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