Lil Tay ALIVE, Claims Death Hoax Was A Hack
Lil Tay ALIVE, Claims Death Hoax Was A Hack
Transcript
00:00 Lil Tay is reportedly alive. According to TMZ, the teenage social media star released a statement
00:06 to the publication on Thursday, claiming that a message posted to her Instagram account that she
00:11 had passed away was false. "I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive,
00:17 but I'm completely heartbroken and struggling to even find the right words to say. It's been a
00:22 very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and
00:28 tearful phone calls from loved ones, all while trying to sort out this mess," she said, per the
00:33 outlet. The YouTuber reportedly told the publication that her account was hacked, leading to the
00:38 alleged hoax. The post, which was shared to her more than 3 million followers, has since been
00:44 deleted. "My Instagram account was compromised by a third party and used to spread jarring
00:50 misinformation and rumors regarding me to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name
00:55 is Taytayon, not Claire Hope," she claimed, according to TMZ. The mystery surrounding the
01:00 situation grew when Lil Tay's dad reportedly did not confirm whether or not his daughter had died
01:06 when speaking with Insider on Wednesday. Insider reportedly reached out to Lil Tay's father,
01:12 Christopher Hope, with whom multiple media outlets report she did not have a close relationship with,
01:17 and he told the publication that he couldn't comment on the post and declined to answer if
01:23 she was still alive. Harry Tseng, the teen's former manager, told Insider the situation needs,
01:29 quote, "cautious consideration" and that he couldn't confirm or deny the news. The outlet
01:36 also reports that it reached out to law enforcement agencies in Canada and LA where Lil Tay is known
01:42 to have lived, and both told Insider there were not any active death investigations involving the
01:48 social media star. The post to the rapper's Instagram account read in part, "It is with a
01:54 heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire's sudden and tragic passing.
02:01 We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain. This outcome was entirely
02:07 unexpected and has left us all in shock. Her brother's passing adds an even more unimaginable
02:14 depth to our grief. During this time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve
02:21 this overwhelming loss as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother's passing
02:26 are still under investigation. Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence
02:32 leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her. Access Hollywood
02:38 has reached out to reps for comment." The internet sensation, who was originally from Canada,
02:44 rose to fame when she was just nine years old and she gained more than 3 million followers
02:48 on Instagram. She went viral in 2017 for controversial videos that showed her swearing,
02:54 starting fights, insulting people, and flashing stacks of money. "So I got up and I started
02:59 working hard, moving bricks, and now we be living in the hills. See that view? Y'all don't have that
03:04 view. And I be holding your mama's rank." But until the hoax, she had not been active on social media
03:10 since 2018. That same year, ABC's Juju Chang sat down with Claire and her mom and they got candid
03:17 about her success. "How would you respond to critics who would say, 'Oh, you're just going
03:22 to try to profit off your daughter now?'" "No one's forcing me to do this. That's not true that she
03:28 wants to make money off of me." "Is a nine-year-old really capable of making this kind of decision?"
03:34 "This is my decision. I'm happy with what I'm doing."
03:41 [Music]