Lil Tay, social media influencer, reportedly dead at 14; father won’t confirm

Lil Tay, a Canadian internet rapper and social media influencer, reportedly has died, her family said on Wednesday. She was 14.

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The family of the teen, whose real name was Claire Hope, reportedly announced her death in an Instagram post. No details were provided.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing,” the family’s original statement on Instagram said. “We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock,” the Instagram statement continued. “Her brother’s passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, Hope’s brother was identified as 21-year-old Jason Tian, an aspiring rapper.

Lil Tay says she’s not dead

Update 2 p.m. EDT Aug. 10: In a statement obtained by TMZ, Lil Tay said Thursday that neither she nor her brother are dead. An Instagram post announcing their passing was also taken off her account by Thursday.

“It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours,” Tay said in the statement. “All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess.”

— Theresa Seiger, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Father will not confirm rapper’s death

Update 12:45 a.m. Aug. 10: The father of rapper Lil Tay, Christopher Hope, and her former manager, Harry Tsang, said they could not confirm the teen’s death, according to the Los Angeles Times, which cited a report from Insider.

Christopher Hope told Insider that he could not comment on the Instagram statement announcing the death of his daughter, whose real name is Claire Hope. He also declined to answer whether she was still alive, the Times reported. Tsang added that he could not “definitively confirm or dismiss the legitimacy of the statement issued by the family” due to the “complexities of the current circumstances.”

“This situation calls for cautious consideration and respect for the sensitivities involved,” Tsang told Insider. “My commitment remains focused on delivering updates that are both reliable and appropriately timed.”

According to the Times, Claire Hope’s brother, who was also reported in the Instagram post as having passed away, is 21-year-old Jason Tian, an aspiring rapper.

Original report: Claire Hope, who has not posted to Instagram since she was a 9-year-old in 2018, has 3.3 million followers on the social media site, Variety reported

Hope, who has not posted to Instagram since she was a 9-year-old in 2018, has 3.3 million followers on the social media site, Variety reported.

Hope gained fame on the internet in 2018 for her Instagram photos about designer clothes and luxury cars, according to the Los Angeles Times. In a March 2018 video, she claimed that the toilet and bathtub in her bathtub each “cost more than your rent,” the newspaper reported.

Her expletive-filled videos depicted a lavish hip-hop lifestyle, Variety reported. In one video she bragged about buying a $200,000 sports car, even though she did not have a driver’s license. In another, she told viewers, “I run L.A.”

Two of the teen’s YouTube videos -- one touring Jake Paul’s home, and one about her feud with rapper Danielle “Bhad Bhabie” Bregoli -- has more than 4 million views, the Times reported.

Her videos also caught Snoop Dogg’s eye, but the rapper was not a fan.

“She need to be in school learning how to be a little girl not a dumb (expletive) grown person,” he captioned a video of the internet star, according to the Times.

According to the family’s statement, Hope’s brother also has died, Billboard reported.

“Her brother’s passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief,” it continues, not mentioning his name. “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.”

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