At the age of 9, Lil Tay rose to significant fame through videos uploaded on social media. The content she shared sparked considerable debates. The videos, inappropriate for a child of such a young age, ignited major controversies. Despite all criticisms, Lil Tay quickly amassed over 3.3 million followers on Instagram alone and was hailed as one of the emerging stars of the internet.
Real name Claire Hope, the 14-year-old influencer and rapper Lil Tay, originally from Canada, had moved to Los Angeles as a young child. She began posting videos at the age of nine in 2017, quickly gaining immense popularity on the internet.
In the videos she posted online, the young child constantly used profanity, rapped, and made people uncomfortable with her behavior. Her controversial clips included swearing, insulting passersby, flaunting stacks of money, and even initiating conflicts while claiming to be the "youngest rapper of the century." Employing shocking language to attract attention and views, Lil Tay appeared on the highly-watched morning program "Good Morning America" with her mother to address her controversial image and respond to criticisms.
The 14-year-old sensation's and her 21-year-old brother's deaths were announced. A veil of mystery shrouded the deaths of the 14-year-old social media star and her brother: Attention turned to their father amid suspicions of abuse. An unidentified person from the family issued a statement. While the causes of death for 14-year-old phenomenon Lil Tay and her 21-year-old brother Jason Tian were not disclosed, it was mentioned that their deaths were under investigation. The unidentified family member shared a post saying, "In these days of profound sorrow, as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother's passing remain under investigation, we ask for privacy as we mourn this great loss," and added, "Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void felt by everyone who knew and loved her."
Lil Tay's former manager stated that there was no record or investigation related to the young sensation's and her brother's deaths, and the police were not aware of these deaths. Former manager Harry Tsang revealed that no evidence could be found regarding these deaths in either Los Angeles or Vancouver and that the situation was deemed suspicious.
Did they die in a car accident? As speculations about the cause of death circulated on social media, a user named Jesse Ryan claimed to have witnessed the incident. Ryan wrote, "As someone who was at the scene, I can confirm that both were together at the time of their passing. They died due to a car collision. Lil Tay's brother was driving the car." However, despite the family's announcement of the deaths, there was no formal investigation into the deaths of the two siblings.