After gaining internet fame in the mid-2010s while still in the single-digit age range, Lil Tay, whose legal name was Claire Hope, has passed away. Wednesday morning (Aug. 9), the family of the viral, hip-hop adjacent star made the announcement through her verified Instagram page.
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“It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing,” the statement reads. “We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain. This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock.”
Hope, who was reported to be 14 years old at the time of her death, passed away just after the death of her brother Jason Tian, according to the statement. Both of their deaths are unknown at this time and are under investigation.
“Her brother’s passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief,” the family statement continues. “During this time of immense sorrow, we kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this overwhelming loss, as the circumstances surrounding Claire and her brother’s passing are still under investigation. Claire will forever remain in our hearts, her absence leaving an irreplaceable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her.”
Hope first rose to stardom in 2018, when she inexplicably began posting videos of her freestyles, wads of cash, and expensive cars, emulating the lifestyle rappers of this era yearn to live. Among a crop of viral YouTube and vlog stars like actor-turned-influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul and Dr. Phil-aggitator Danielle Bregoli, Hope’s notoriety began to skyrocket with each new video she uploaded. It was around this time that she moved from her hometown of Vancouver to Los Angeles with her mother Angela Tian and her brother Jason, as they both aided her career as an influencer.
The hip-hop and internet community’s bewilderment would soon turn to acceptance, as Hope not only continued to play her role as the self-proclaimed “youngest flexer of the century,” but also began to befriend many burgeoning rappers such as Chief Keef, 6ix9ine, and the now-deceased XXXTentacion. Additionally, she earned the recognition of Eminem, who used her name in the world-famous Machine Gun Kelly diss “Killshot” in September 2018.
I’d rather be 80-year-old me than 20-year-old you
‘Til I’m hitting old age
Still can fill a whole page with a 10-year-old’s rage
Got more fans than you in your own city, lil’ kiddy, go play
Feel like I’m babysitting Lil Tay
However, things would turn sour quickly for Hope, as her mother reportedly lost her job in real estate for her involvement in her daughter’s polarizing antics. Additionally, videos and reports began to surface that revealed Jason’s mistreatment of Hope. She was soon court-ordered to return to Canada to live with her father Christopher Hope. This would put a halt to her online activity, as she soon evaporated from the public eye.
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In 2021, for the first time in three years, Lil Tay’s Instagram account made a post. But, startling fans, the account accused her father Christopher of physical and emotional abuse and shared now-deleted photos of wounds she allegedly sustained at his hands. Additionally, her brother Jason would go on to launch a GoFundMe page to aid Hope’s safety, along with announcing there was an ongoing battle in the BC Supreme Court of Canada, as Chris aimed to gain “control of her career as well as custody over her.”
“Lil Tay will be fighting for her life, future, and freedom starting April 23, 2021,” Jason wrote in the GoFundMe description. “Tay is in desperate need of funds to support her fight against her abusive father, as a result of this situation she has been in a state of depression.”
It’s unclear how the trial ended up playing out, but to this day, Lil Tay’s YouTube description eerily and succinctly writes “help me.”
Photo courtesy YouTube
