Posted on 08/09/2023 4:51:58 PM PDT by Responsibility2nd
Lil Tay, who rose to stardom as a rapper and influencer on social media, has died at 14, according to a message shared on her verified Instagram account on Wednesday.
The teen rapper, whose real name is Claire Hope, was 9 when she gained national attention for her controversial videos, which flaunted an extravagant lifestyle and went viral on social media.
"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," the statement said. "This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock."
The statement also announced that Lil Tay's brother, Jason Tian, also died and that their deaths are under investigation. It is unclear where and when they died, but Lil Tay is a native of Canada, who moved to Los Angeles in 2018 to pursue opportunities in the entertainment industry.
"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 indescribable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her."
Lil Tay's last Instagram was posted on June 18, 2018, showing what appeared to be a screenshot of Lil Tay Facetiming with the late rapper XXXTentacion, whose real name is Jahseh Onfroy. The post is a tribute to the rapper, who was shot and killed, in Broward County, Florida on June 18, 2018. He was 20 years old.
"X you truly changed me," the post says. "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 Bye I Love you Bro."
The expletives in Lil Tay's social media videos and her imitations of so-called gangster rappers -- in one of which she pretends to use drugs and in another, she uses the n-word -- prompted controversy and questions about the potential exploitation of children on social media.
In a 2018 Nightline interview, Lil Tay, who was nine years old at the time, opened up about her social media stardom and being the internet's self-proclaimed "youngest flexer."
Her mother, Angela Tian, and her brother defended Lil Tay's videos in the interview with Nightline.
"A lot of people are gonna say this and that we just we just keep going," Jason, who was 16 at the time of the 2018 interview, told Nightline.
Her mother told Nightline that she is a "proud mom" and "a great parent."
"My daughter has accomplished so much by herself," she said, adding that her daughter will be a "superstar."
Lil Tay insisted at the time, "No one's forcing me to do this," and said that she runs her own Instagram account.
VAXXED.
Very true. It's very unsettling.
I love going to our North Idaho State Fair in a couple weeks to watch the 4H kids managing, showing, and selling their animals. It's a glimpse of a fading past. I applaud the parents for getting their kids into wholesome, constructive animal husbandry rather than letting them waste away on their phones.
Children acting like adults... Maybe a bit too much like adults. Fentanyl? Likely.
Many who are parents, should not be parents.
Too bad she’s dead. She could have been Joe Biden’s new girlfriend.
This Tik Tok “influencer” crap really drives me crazy. We don’t teach the kids anything in school anymore so they have to go on the internet and find idiot programmers like “Lil Tay” to program them with BS.
I try to not pay too much attention or I’ll stroke out from anger.
He likes ‘em around 6 or 7.
Couldn’t find anything about her songs on Google.....
Their level of grief for each of their dead children seems directly correlated to their level of fame.
As an alleged “entertainer” there must have ben some travel involved? So he/she/it needed a set of clotshots? Not seeing the downside of a pint sized degenerate checking out early?
well its a start
Supposedly a car crash.
She moved to US in 2018 and her last instagram post was in 2018. Her parents were/are? in a custody battle and the father is vague about the posted death of his two children. Publicity stunt, maybe?
A lot of things are happening in this country that I know nothing about. 👵🏻
Since the cause of death is so controversial, it is not given. I can guess. Fentanyl.
Never ever aspire to be a rapper. And that’s not just for African Americans.
Same here but I’m glad I don’t follow any of this.
Article reads like, “He’s dead too but nobody cares about him; slacker never made us a million like she did.”
She hasn’t been influencing anyone for years if YouTube is anything to go by, at least not on her channel. Last videos are from 2018 when she moved to the US. There are only 2, neither of which seems to be her rapping.
http://www.youtube.com/@liltay3406/featured
Below her title/name, it says “help me”
Everything seems to have stopped in 2018, at least on YT which is where one expects to find an “influencer” who presumably would do some rap as a supposed rapper.
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