Lil Tay, Teen YouTube Star & Rapper, Dead

Transcript

00:00 Teenage social media star Lil Tay has reportedly died.

00:04 According to the rapper's Instagram account, she passed away unexpectedly.

00:08 On Wednesday, a new post from unidentified loved ones read,

00:12 "It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire's

00:18 sudden and tragic passing. We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable

00:24 pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected and has left us all in shock."

00:30 It went on to claim that her brother is also dead.

00:33 Continuing, "Her brother's passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief.

00:40 During this time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this overwhelming loss,

00:47 as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother's passing are still under investigation."

00:52 A cause of death for the teenager, whose real name is Claire Hope,

00:56 has yet to be confirmed. As the post concludes,

00:59 "Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will

01:06 be felt by all who knew and loved her. Her management confirmed the heartbreaking news

01:11 to Variety. Access Hollywood has reached out to reps for comment."

01:16 Lil Tay's pal Victoria Rose mourned the loss of her friend on Instagram too,

01:22 sharing photos of them together and writing "RIP Lil Tay."

01:26 The internet sensation, who is originally from Canada, rose to fame when she was just 9 years old

01:32 and she gained more than 3 million followers on Instagram before her death.

01:37 She went viral in 2017 for controversial videos that showed her swearing,

01:42 starting fights, insulting people, and flashing stacks of money.

01:46 "So I got up and I started working hard, moving bricks,

01:49 and now we be living in the hills. See that view? Y'all don't have that view.

01:53 And I be holding your mama's ring."

01:55 But before her passing, she had not been active on social media since 2018.

01:59 That same year, ABC's Juju Chang sat down with Claire and her mom,

02:04 and they got candid about her success.

02:07 "How would you respond to critics who would say, 'Oh, you're just gonna try to profit off

02:12 your daughter now?'" "No one's forcing me to do this.

02:15 That's not true that she wants to make money off of me."

02:18 "Is a 9-year-old really capable of making this kind of decision?"

02:22 "This is my decision. I'm happy with what I'm doing."

02:27 "I'm happy with what I'm doing."