Rapper and social media star Lil Tay's Instagram account posts bizarre statement claiming she died
UPDATE: A day after a statement was posted to Lil Tay's Instagram account claiming the rapper had died, TMZ reports the teen is still alive and her account had been compromised. Read our full update here.
A confusing statement was posted on the Instagram account of Lil Tay, a child star and rapper who became a viral internet sensation with her controversial videos, on Wednesday claiming the teen was dead. Variety reported her management had confirmed the death, while her father reportedly said he had no comment when reached by other outlets. EW was unable to reach a representative for the star. (The post has since been deleted, but EW was able to capture a screengrab below.)
"It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire's sudden and tragic passing," the posted statement read. "We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock."
Lil Tay/Instagram Screenshot of the since-deleted Instagram statement claiming Lil Tay had died
The statement claimed that Lil Tay's brother had also died, which has added "an even more unimaginable depth to our grief." It 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."
It concluded, "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 went viral in 2018 with profanity-laced videos that featured her flaunting thousands of dollars in cash, sitting in luxury cars that she claimed to own, wearing high-end clothing, and declaring that she had more money than viewers. The 9-year-old, who described herself as the "youngest flexer of the century," garnered a large following consisting of both fans and haters.
"This is my decision," she said in a Good Morning America interview in 2018. "I'm happy with what I'm doing." Lil Tay continued, "People think it's funny, I guess, 'cause I'm nine years old and I've accomplished so much."
Lil Tay/Instagram Lil Tay
Lil Tay stopped posting content online in 2018. In 2020, TMZ reported that her parents, Angela Tian and Christopher Hope, had been engaged in a two-year custody battle at the time over the child. Her last Instagram post was dedicated to late rapper XXXTentacion, who she called a "father figure" in her life.
"X you truly changed me," she wrote on Instagram. "you were there for me when everyone wanted me to fail, you were there to give me advice, you were there. As a father figure, when I don't have one, you were here, FaceTiming me and calling me for hours when I'm down, 3 hours ago you announced the Charity event we were going to throw, we had everything setup, I can't believe this, the evil in the world, this isn't good."
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