According to ABC News, Lil Tay’s Instagram post claimed that she was a popular rapper and social media personality before her death was removed from her official Instagram account on Thursday afternoon, leading to speculation about the authenticity of the original report.
After his daughter and her brother, Jason Tian, passed away, Chris Hope’s post was deleted after he refused to respond to an ABC News interview on Wednesday.
The teenage rapper’s videos, which depicted a luxurious lifestyle, gained national attention when she was 9 years old.
Lil Tay was referred to as “Claire” in the post.
“We are devastated by the unexpected and heartbreaking news of Claire’s death, as we cannot even begin to express our thoughts and emotions,” the statement posted on Instagram on Wednesday read.
The post claimed that Lil Tay’s brother, Jason Tian, had also died and that their deaths were being investigated. The article did not provide any information on the circumstances of their death.
“The loss of her brother is adding an unexpected layer of sadness to our collective grief,” the statement read on Wednesday. “We are deeply saddened by this loss and would like to offer our hearts and prayers to those affected, as we mourn a time of immense sorrow.”
A tribute was made to Lil Tay on his Instagram page on June 18, 2018, for allegedly taking a screenshot of him Facetiming with Jahseh Onfroy, the deceased rapper who was shot and killed in Broward County, Florida on that day. The post is believed to be based on the public’s views.
“X, you changed me a lot,” the post states. “You were there for me when everyone was telling me to fail, and you were always there.”
The use of expletives in Lil Tay’s social media videos and her imitations of gangster rappers, including drug-using scenes and swearing, caused controversy and raised concerns about child pornography.
In a recent interview with Nightline, Lil Tay, who was 9 years old at the time, disclosed her rise to social media fame and being known as the “youngest flexer” on the internet.
During the interview with Nightline, Angela Tian and her brother stood up for Lil Tay’s videos.
“We don’t care if people say this or that, we just keep going,” Jason, who was 16 during the interview in 2018, told Nightline.
Her mother told Nightline that she is a “proud mom” and “a wonderful parent.”
“She expressed her pride in her daughter’s accomplishments, stating that she will be a star without any other role models on her own,” she said.
At that point, Lil Tay asserted that she was not being coerced into doing it and claimed to manage her Instagram profile.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned.