Claire Hope, also known as controversial social media star and rapper Lil Tay and her brother, Jason Tian, were announced dead on Thursday (Philippine time) but the circumstances of their deaths are yet to be confirmed.
Lil Tay gained popularity for her videos filled with excessive profanity usage, display of expensive clothes and cars.
Her brother, Tian, on the other hand, was known for reportedly being the person behind the scenes, telling her to act in a controversial manner for her young age.
The announcement of their deaths was posted on the rapper’s Instagram account.
View this post on Instagram
This was the first post on Lil Tay’s Instagram account in five years, wherein the last one was a tribute to the late rapper XXXTENTACION.
Circumstances surrounding the deaths of the siblings are still being investigated, but it is reported that their deaths were hoaxes.
Mystery surrounding deaths
In a report from American tabloid The New York Post published on Wednesday (US time), Lil Tay’s father, Christopher Hope, could not confirm if the announcement on the siblings’ deaths were true.
When asked for a statement, the father refused to comment.
“I’m not able to give you any comment right now. I’m sorry — I can’t,” he reportedly said.
The publication followed up by asking if there was anyone who can give a statement, but he responded that he does not know either.
The New York Post also reported that they failed to get a statement from Lil Tay and Tian’s mother, Angela Tian.
American news website The Daily Beast got in contact with one of the rapper’s former managers, Henry Tsang, who said he could not disclose information about the deaths.
“I have been in communication with individuals who have an intimate understanding of the family’s situation. 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,” Tsang stated.
Reports said Vancouver Police Department was not actively investigating the deaths. The authorities said that they have no records of the teen rapper and her brother’s deaths.
“We haven’t gotten any reports of either death here. As of now, we are not aware and are not investigating,” a spokesperson from the Vancouver Police Department told The New York Post.
The Los Angeles County Coroner’s office told The Daily Beast that they likewise do not have any records of the siblings’ death.
The statements gathered from various sources added to the suspicion that the deaths of Lil Tay and Tian were not true.
The plot thickens
Following these news, Lil Tay trended on X (formerly Twitter) with over 92,000 posts, commenting speculations and doubts about the siblings’ death.
The speculations sparked after Instagram user @termanii, who identified himself as the older brother of Lil Tay, denied the death announcement made on the rapper’s Instagram account.
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“so… lil tay ain’t dead?????”, an online user reacted with screenshots from an account identifying as the teen rapper herself.
so… lil tay ain’t dead????? pic.twitter.com/iAkkObOMSR
— byanca 🤍 (@kardiakusos) August 9, 2023
Lil Tay’s YouTube channel description was reportedly changed with a cryptic text, “help me,” amid the controversy. This description, however, has been posted months ago, according to internet archiver Wayback Machine.
The developments sparked more confusion among fans and followers of Lil Tay. However, authorities have yet to confirm the reported deaths.
