"My brother and I are safe and alive": Lil Tay speaks out
Rising to online stardom at the tender age of nine, rapper Lil Tay, the child prodigy, has defied widespread reports of her demise, as confirmed by her recent statement following a death announcement that appeared on her official Instagram page.
Speaking to TMZ, the 14-year-old social media sensation expressed her relief, saying: "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."
Those past 24 hours have certainly been harrowing for Lil Tay, having to deal with a barrage of anguished and tearful phone calls from concerned relatives.
Lil Tay has come forward to explain that her Instagram account, which initially held 3.3 million followers and now exceeds 3.5 million, was subjected to a hack before the now-deleted misleading announcement was posted.
"My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd 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'."
Early on the morning of Thursday August 10, a message surfaced on the official Instagram account, proclaiming the "sudden and tragic" passing of the artist – the first post to surface since 2018.
In the heartfelt message, it was conveyed, "Words fail to capture the insurmountable void and inexpressible anguish. This outcome took us by complete surprise, leaving us all in a state of disbelief."
"We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribably pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock."
It was also claimed in the statement that Jason Tian, Lil Tay's 21-year-old brother, had also died.
"Her bother'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 [Lil Tay] and her brother's passing are still under investigation."
"[Lil Tay] will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her."
Following the announcement, Variety initially reported Lil Tay's management as confirming her demise. Nonetheless, Insider revealed that Lil Tay's father, Christopher Hope, refrained from commenting on the Instagram post and declined to address queries regarding her current state.
During her brief yet impactful three-month presence in the social media landscape, Lil Tay found herself entangled in various controversies, most notably offering an apology after employing a racial slur in one of her videos.
Yet, as swiftly as her rise to virtual stardom unfolded, Lil Tay faded from view. Lil Tay's ultimate Instagram post before the now-deleted death notice emerged on June 19, 2018. This post was a tribute to the late rapper XXXTentacion, who tragically lost his life at 20 years old the preceding day.
Image: Instagram