Contrary to the alarming rumours spreading on social media platforms, popular social media star Lil Tay confirmed her well-being, claiming her Instagram was hacked and misleading information was spread about her supposed demise and that of her brother.
In an official statement provided to TMZ by Lil Tay’s family, she conveyed, “It’s been a surreal and distressing 24 hours. While my brother and I are very safe and sound, the emotional toll of such a hoax, especially given the overwhelming number of distressing calls from our dear ones, has been overwhelming.”
Tay clarified the erroneous details shared on her hacked account, stating, “It was not just the misinformation about my apparent ‘death’. Even basic details like my name were wrong. My birth name is Tay Tian, and I’m definitely not known as ‘Claire Hope’.”
She took a moment to express gratitude towards Meta, Instagram’s parent company, for their assistance in regaining control of her compromised account. The false statement concerning her “death” has since been removed.
Speculations and Concerns
Many of Lil Tay’s followers and the broader public wondered why it took nearly a day for Tay to address the rumours, especially given she had knowledge of the hack and received numerous calls inquiring about her well-being. When TMZ tried to confirm the news by reaching out to Vancouver-area police and Tay’s family, they found that the family was unaware of the situation.
A Flashback to Her Rise to Fame
Lil Tay became the self-proclaimed “World’s Youngest Flexer,” where she showcased a luxurious lifestyle and rapped on social media. Amassing a following of 3.2 million on Instagram, Tay’s online activity paused around 2018. Coincidentally, this was when she was entangled in a bitter custody dispute between her parents, Angela Tian and Christopher Hope. The prolonged legal battle might explain her prolonged absence from the digital limelight.