The internet was shocked by an Instagram post on Wednesday (Aug. 09, 2023) that announced the death of Lil Tay, a 14-year-old rapper and YouTube star. However, her father, Christopher Hope, has not confirmed or denied the news to the media.
According to the New York Post, he said, “Yeah, you have the right person, but I don’t have any comment right now. I’m not able to give you any comment right now. I’m sorry — I can’t.”
Lil Tay’s death came from her verified Instagram account, which had been dormant for more than four years. It also said that her brother, Jason Tian, had died as well.
“We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribably pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock,” the post read.
“Her brother’s passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief.”
The Instagram post asked for privacy and said that the cause of their deaths was still under investigation.
The teenage rapper’s former manager, Henry Tsang, did not confirm or deny the news. He said he had been in touch with people who knew 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,” he quoted.
He also urged people to be careful and accurate in their information.
“I encourage everyone to rely on reputable and official sources for information. We must exercise patience while awaiting further developments before drawing any conclusions,” he said.
It is unclear where Lil Tay and her brother died or if they were together.
The late rapper had lived in Los Angeles with her mother, Angela Tian, at one point but later moved to Vancouver, Canada, with her father.
The Vancouver Police Department told The Post they had no reports of their deaths. The Post could not reach her mother or Los Angeles authorities.
Lil Tay became famous in March 2018 when she was only nine. She made viral videos where she cursed and showed off her money and cars.
She disappeared from social media shortly after. In an interview, she told the Daily Beast that she had to move to Vancouver with her father because of a “court order.”
She accused him of being an absent father who only wanted money from her. She also alleged that he threatened to have her mother arrested if they did not go back.
Her father denied these allegations and said he only wanted three things for her: no more cursing videos, 25 percent of her earnings in a trust fund, and structure in her public image.
He also denied allegations of abuse against him and his second wife, Hanee Hope, posted on Lil Tay’s Instagram account in 2018. He said her account must have been hacked.
In 2021, Jason claimed on a GoFund Me page that his sister had been “physically and mentally abused” by their father and his wife.
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