Was Lil Tay ‘death’ all a prank? Rapper, 14, sees her Instagram followers grow by 300,000 since fake announcement as ex manager suggests hoax was a stunt to ‘rekindle’ her fame

• A mysterious post on Lil Tay’s Instagram on Wednesday say she had died
• But she has since confirmed that this was not true, leading to speculation over who posted the message and whether it could have been the young rapper

A controversial Canadian child rapper has seen her Instagram followers grow by 300,000 since a fake death announcement was posted to her profile, prompting accusations that she misled her fans with a hoax to ‘rekindle’ her fame.

Lil Tay, 14, was thought to have died along with her older brother Jason Tian, after a statement was shared on her verified social media account on Wednesday.

But little over 24-hours after the statement was posted the teenage rapper finally spoke out to confirm that she and her sibling were in fact both ‘safe and alive’ while claiming that her account had been ‘compromised by a third party’ – raising supicions that the whole episode was a prank.

Speaking to DailyMail.com, her former manager Harry Tsang cast doubts over the likelihood of the teenager’s statement being entirely truthful.

Instead, he suggested that she may have posted the message to her 3.3 million followers herself as a means to boost her fame which died out in 2018 amid claims she was being exploited by her brother and mother, as well as accusations against her father that he had been abusive towards the then-nine-year-old, which he denies.

Lil Tay (pictured), 14, was thought to have died along with her older brother Jason Tian , after a statement was shared on her verified social media account on Wednesday 

Shocking statement: A post shared on the teen’s Instagram account stated that she and her 21-year-old brother had both died, referring to her by her birth name, Claire Hope. She later told TMZ that this was not the case, saying that she and her brother were alive and safe

Former manager Harry Tsang said he believes the ‘reported hacking incident may not have occurred’ and suggested it could have been Lil Tay herself who posted to Instagram

The teenager confirmed that she is not dead in a statement given to TMZ on Thursday afternoon, putting an end to rampant online speculation about what could have happened to her and her brother.

‘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,’ Lil Tay – who was born Claire Hope but has now confirmed her legal name is Tay Tian – told TMZ.

‘It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours,’ she said.

‘All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess.’

The teenager – who hit the headlines back in 2018 with expletive-ridden rap videos that showed her flashing cash and sitting in super cars – neglected to reveal why she took more than 24 hours to confirm she is alive and well.

Speaking about the post that sparked the death rumors, Tay insisted that her Instagram account ‘was compromised by a third party’ and ‘used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors’ about her.

The young star – whose fame came to an abrupt end amid claims she had been abused by her father Christopher Hope and exploited by her brother (which they both denied) – also confirmed that she now had access to her account again.

She went on to reveal that she no longer goes by her birth name, Claire Hope, which was the moniker used in the now-deleted phony death announcement, explaining that she now goes by the legal name Tay Tian, having seemingly dropped her estranged father’s surname in favor of her mother Angela’s. 

Soon after Lil Tay’s statement was released, social media erupted with speculation over the legitimacy of her claims, with many users questioning why it had taken her so long to address the phony death rumors – while others speculated that the whole hoax was a desperate bid for publicity.

‘So is Lil Tay & her brother dead or alive? Because the way that statement was worded and then the way it took a whole 24 hours to denounce is still very weird,’ one person wrote.

‘Let’s say hypothetically Lil Tay’s Instagram was hacked… what would be the motive for saying the brother is dead too?? Like this whole thing confusing,’ another stated.

A third wrote: ‘My guess was that Lil Tay was alive and this was some wild publicity stunt.’

Fans also said it felt like they had been pranked, with one writing: ‘What are you doing? It’s like I was pranked by you. But thank God everything is fine.’

Meanwhile, social media tracking site Social Blade reported that Lil Tay’s Instagram follower count had grown by more than 300,000 since the fake death post.

The teenager (pictured) confirmed that she is not dead in a statement given to TMZ on Thursday afternoon, putting an end to rampant online speculation about what could have happened to her and her brother following the shocking post on Instagram

Harry Tsang has since added fuel to the speculation that the whole statement was a hoax orchestrated by either the 14-year-old, her brother, or both.

‘Upon learning about Lil Tay’s assertion of her well-being, I find relief in the fact that she is safe,’ Tsang said in a written statement. 

‘However, I believe the reported hacking incident may not have occurred.’

He went on to raise two points of doubt over the validity of Lil Tay’s explanation for the post saying she had died, the first of which centers around the speed at which she claims her Instagram account was restored to her after the so-called hacking.

‘My rationale for this perspective is twofold: firstly, the restoration of a compromised account on platforms like Meta/Instagram typically does not necessitate a 24-hour timeframe,’ he explained.

Tsang then drew attention to Lil Tay’s brother Jason – who was accused of exploiting his younger sibling back in 2018, when video emerged of him appearing to ‘coach’ her on what to say in front of the camera.  

‘Secondly, the actions of Lil Tay’s brother, renowned for his propensity for extreme measures, lead me to hypothesize an alternative motive behind this occurrence,’ Tay’s former manager continued. 

‘Simultaneously, if the underlying motive is indeed to rekindle Lil Tay’s prominence within the public sphere, I contend that such actions demonstrate a certain degree of irresponsibility.

‘It’s essential to consider the potential repercussions of employing such tactics, particularly given their potential impact on the perceptions and sentiments of the broader audience,’ Tsang added.

A number of other netziens also suggested the whole episode was a prank.

‘Whoever hacked Lil Tay bamboozeld the whole world. Prank of the century fr (for real),’ one person wrote on the platform X, formerly Twitter.

‘I don’t believe any of this Lil Tay s**t fiy,’ another wrote. ‘I’ll come back 2 this in 2 weeks when they announce its a prank [sic].’

A third wrote angrily: ‘Lil Tay ain’t dead? That’s great news BUT F**K WHOEVER THOUGHT ABOUT DOING THIS PRANK. Leave that lil girl alone.’

Lil Tay’s father, Christopher Hope, (pictured together previously) declined to comment when contacted by DailyMail.com about whether his daughter had died. Past allegations have claimed he was abusive towards her, which he denies

The confusion around this week’s Instagram post is the latest chapter in the tumultuous story of Lil Tay.

The youngster became embroiled in furious controversy in 2018 amid allegations that she was being physically and mentally abused by her father as well as being exploited by her older brother, who was a teenager at the time.

Her mother also lost her job as a real estate agent over the youngster’s content, which showed her posing in flash cars and houses that likely belonged to her mother’s clients.

Originally from Canada, Lil Tay moved to Los Angeles as a young child and garnered viral fame after she began posting videos in 2017, aged just nine.

Her controversial clips showed her cussing, insulting passersby, flashing stacks of cash, smoking, sitting in flashy cars and even starting fights – as she claimed to be the ‘youngest flexer in the century’ and ‘above the haters.’

She posted videos using language like n****, p****, and c*** to gain viewers and had later appeared on Good Morning America with her mother to defend her image.

Despite the critics, Lil Tay quickly racked up more than 3.3 million followers on Instagram alone and had been pegged as one of the internet’s biggest rising stars.

However, her dramatic rise to fame took a darker turn in 2018.

In May that year, it was claimed that the young girl was actually being exploited by her family, including her older brother Jason after a series of videos came out that showed him coaching her on what to say in her controversial posts and clips.

One such clip capturing him giving her an instruction to ‘be more ignorant.’

Many started to wonder if her mother and brother were taking advantage of her and forcing her to do things she was not comfortable with for online fame.

However, while speaking to Good Morning America at the time – sitting beside her mother – she insisted, ‘No one is forcing me to do this.

‘It’s not true that [my family] wants to make money off of me.’ 

During an interview with DailyMail.com that same month, Lil Tay explained that she looked at her ‘wild stunts’ as a way for her to ‘motivate’ others. 

‘I know what I’m saying, I know what I’m doing,’ she said, ‘And to me, swearing isn’t something negative, it’s something positive to me. It helps me get motivation.’

She also reiterated that she was not being taken advantage of by her mother or brother, adding, ‘I’m an independent person so I do it all myself.’ 

The youngster shot to fame in 2018 and quickly racked up more than 3.3 million followers on Instagram alone. She had been pegged as one of the internet’s biggest rising stars

The social media star also seemingly had a strained relationship with her father Chris – with Lil Tay herself claiming she ‘did not have’ a father figure in a tribute to rapper XXXTentacion following his violent death in 2018.

Lil Tay had previously sparked concern among her fanbase after all of her social media posts were deleted, and the words ‘Help Me’ were posted to her Instagram stories. Her brother, Jason, also shared a message to his Instagram Stories at the time that read, ‘Help.’

Four months later, an anonymous person started sharing harrowing posts to her account in which they claimed that her ‘abusive’ dad was trying to take her away from her mother. 

Chris Hope denied the allegations, claiming that he was actually protecting her.

He insisted that he was trying to ‘stop things that he felt were dangerous to her physical and mental health and to her future’ and separate her from people who were motivated by ‘the possibility of making money off of her.’

Speaking to Hollywood Life at the time, he called the all the allegations ‘lies’ and claimed that he was simply trying to protect her.

‘When my daughter’s social media began to go viral this year, I disagreed with most of the social media activity,’ he said. ‘I took legal steps to stop things which I felt were dangerous to her physical and mental health and to her future. 

‘I do not think a 10-year-old girl should be put in those situations and made to drop out of school so that she can make money for other people.

‘Everyone else involved in this situation is motivated by money and the possibility of making money off of my daughter. I am not fighting about money/I am fighting for my daughter – for her happiness and her future.’

She had previously posted videos of her using language like n****, p****, and c*** to spark interest in her content, but she and her parents also became the target of criticism as a result. Her ‘career’ seemingly came to an end in 2018 when she stopped posting to Instagram

Lil Tay had previously sparked serious concern among her fanbase after she deleted all of her social media posts

At the time, the rising star also wrote the words ‘help me’ on her Instagram Story amid claims she was actually being exploited by older brother Jason

She had been noticeably absent from social media in the recent years with her last post visible on the platform being in honor of rapper XXXTentacion, real name Jahseh Onfroy, who was shot dead aged 20 in June 2018.

It read: ‘X you truly changed me. 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…

‘I can’t believe this, the evil in the world, This isn’t good Bye. I love you Bro.’

But she broke her silence with an interview in December 2018 with the Daily Beast about her online presence, in which she said: ‘Right now I’m in a bad situation and I don’t want to talk about these things.’

When prompted for further clarification, she simply responded, ‘with Chris Hope,’ before adding: ‘It’s obvious he just came back because he wants money.’

She told the publication that her father was trying to get her to return to Canada.

‘He was threatening to arrest – to have my mom arrested if we didn’t go back,’ she explained. ‘I didn’t see him for multiple years. He never saw me for so long, it’s obvious he just came back because he wants money.’

She also claimed her father had previously ‘locked her in a closet’ while he enjoyed a night out with his new wife, Hanee Hope. 

‘Right now I’m in a bad situation and I don’t want to talk about these things,’ she said.

Following the allegations, Harry Tsang, then a spokesperson for Chris Hope, told The Daily Beast that the father did not want any money from his daughter.

This was despite him trademarking ‘Lil Tay,’ arguing ‘it was obvious that her mom hadn’t taken any steps to do things in a business-like manner.’

‘There are only three things he wants to see,’ Tsang said. ‘First, no more crazy videos of cursing from Tay. 

‘Second, 25 per cent of the gross earnings going to a trust fund dedicated to Tay. The third thing is, there has to be structure in her operation, in her public image.’ 

In May 2018, it was claimed that the young girl was actually being exploited by older brother Jason (centre) after a series of videos came out that showed him coaching her 

It was also claimed that father Chris and his wife Hanee (pictured together) ‘stole millions of dollars’ from her, which they used to buy themselves a ‘new mansion, speed boat, and nice car’

It had also previously been revealed that Lil Tay’s mother, Angela Tian (pictured with her daughter on Good Morning America), had worked as a real estate agent in Vancouver, Canada

It had also previously been revealed that Lil Tay’s mother, Angela Tian, had worked as a real estate agent in Vancouver, Canada.

READ MORE: Inside the very sinister world of Lil Tay: Influencer and rapper faced fury over vulgar N-word videos at age NINE

However, she lost her job after letting her daughter ‘flex’ in the employee cars as well as the homes she was supposed to be showing to other clients.

Amid the accusations that Lil Tay was being exploited by her brother, her Instagram and YouTube accounts were quickly scrubbed.

This prompted speculation that the pressures of the spotlight had become too much for her and her family to handle.

A spokesperson for the family told Buzzfeed News at the time that Lil Tay’s brother was ‘rebranding’ her and urged fans to stay tuned for future updates.

Then, out of the blue and three years after Lil Tay’s post on Instagram about XXXTentacion, her brother Jason set up a GoFundMe page in a bid to raise $19,000 for his younger sister.

This came after he also levelled allegations of physical and mental abuse against Chris Hope and his wife.

Attempting to explain Lil Tay’s absence online, Jason, who is not Chris Hope’s son, wrote at the time: ‘My sister Tay has been silent on social media for the past three years because her absentee father (Chris Hope) served my mother a court order demanding control over Tay’s money, career, and custody, and as a result it was court ordered that my sister had to return to Vancouver, Canada.

‘He also requested through a court order to prevent her from speaking out about the truth.’ Jason then claimed that Hope had ‘stolen millions of dollars’ from Lil Tay for his own benefit.

‘Tay is in desperate need of funds to support her fight against her abusive father,’ he wrote in the description of the GoFundMe. 

‘Starting April 23, 2021, Tay will be on trial in the BC Supreme Court of Canada up against her absentee father, Chris Hope, who along with his wife Hanee Hope (previously known as Richanee Alcover), had physically and mentally abused her. 

‘Chris Hope is fighting to permanently gain control of her career as well as custody over her.’

He explained that Lil Tay had ‘been silent on social media’ for the last three years because Chris ‘served their mother a court order demanding control over’ her career and earnings.

He also claimed that Chris and Hanee ‘stole millions of dollars’ from her, which they used to buy themselves a ‘new mansion, speed boat, and nice cars.’

‘My sister Tay has been silent on social media for the past three years because her absentee father served my mother a court order demanding control over Tay’s money, career, and custody,’ he continued.

‘As a result it was court ordered that my sister had to return to Vancouver, Canada. He also requested through a court order to prevent her from speaking out about the truth. 

‘Since then he has stolen millions of dollars from my sister and has taken control of all her funds. 

‘He has signed million dollar deals and taken all of Tay’s money for himself. He has spent millions buying himself and his wife a new mansion, speed boat, nice cars, trips to spas, salons, fancy restaurants, trips [all over the world], and designer clothing, jewelry, and watches from head to toe.

‘They have been living a lavish lifestyle for the past three years off of Tay’s money.’

He added that ‘as a result of the situation’ Lil Tay was ‘in a state of depression’ and asked for donations to help cover her ‘legal fees.’ 

He concluded: ‘All funds raised through this GoFundMe will go towards Tay’s legal fees to give her the fighting chance in court to save her from a life of abuse. [It will go] towards her future and freedom.’

Her brother Jason had previously set up a GoFundMe page in a bid to raise $19,000 for Lil Tay after both levelled allegations of physical and mental abuse against Hope and his wife

Jason claimed that Hope had been abusing Lil Tay (pictured) as well as claiming her father had ‘stolen millions of dollars’ from the rising star 

Lil Tay’s father Chris Hope has denied abusing his daughter (pictured) and has insisted he has only ever had her best interest at heart 

The silence was broken again dramatically on Wednesday, with the statement on Instagram announcing the death of Lil Tay and her brother.

The statement began: ‘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.

‘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 went on to claim that both Tay and her brother Jason’s deaths are ‘still under investigation.’  

‘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 continued. 

‘Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her.’ 

However, the statement did not reveal a cause of death, and did not detail where the pair died. Whoever posted the statement did not reveal their identity.

Adding to the mystery, Harry Tsang questioned the ‘legitimacy’ of the post, while police in both Vancouver and Los Angeles told DailyMail.com that they had no record of her or Jason’s deaths.

In an email to DailyMail.com, Tsang said that he had ‘been in communication with individuals who have an intimate understanding of the family’s situation’.

However, he added that he was still unable to ‘definitively confirm or dismiss’ the news that Lil Tay and her brother had passed. 

‘Given the complexities of the current circumstances, I am at a point where I cannot definitively confirm or dismiss the legitimacy of the statement issued by the family,’ he said. ‘This situation calls for cautious consideration and respect for the sensitivities involved.’

Local authorities in Vancouver and Los Angeles, where she had been living with her mother, confirmed they had no record of any investigation into the deaths when contacted by DailyMail.com. 

With so many questions left unanswered, speculation began circulating on social media about the cause of death, or if there was any truth to the statement at all.

The silence surrounding the girl was broken again dramatically and tragically on Wednesday, with the statement on Instagram announcing the death of Lil Tay (left with her father) and her brother, However, the lack of details in the statement has sparked wild speculation online

One user, Jesse Ryan, claimed to have witnessed an incident.

He wrote: ‘As someone who was at the scene I can confirm that both were together when passing. Due to car collision. The brother was driving.

‘Local officials are speculating “texting and driving” being the cause. The other vehicle occupants were okay with minor injuries.’ 

But the speculation was put to bed on Thursday with Lil Tay herself telling TMZ that she and her brother were still alive.

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