Lil Tay’s father denies faking internet star’s death

27 September, 2023

NME News

Lil Tay‘s father has denied faking the internet personality and rapper’s death in an online hoax, among other allegations.

Last month it was reported that the viral star had died at the age of 14, per Hot New Hip Hop. “It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire’s sudden and tragic passing,” a message from her family read.

“We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain.”

The statement went on to claim that Lil Tay’s older brother Jason Tian had also passed away, adding that both deaths were “still under investigation”.

However, the message was later removed from Instagram. TMZ then reported that Lil Tay and her brother were in fact still alive and that her Instagram account had been hacked.

“I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say,” Lil Tay told the outlet.

“It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess.”

According to Lil Tay, her Instagram profile had been “compromised by a third party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumours regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong”.

She added: “My legal name is Tay Tian, not ‘Claire Hope’.”

Her father, Christopher Hope, and her former manager, Harry Tsang, had previously refused to confirm or deny the influencer’s death. Additionally, numerous allegations began to emerge regarding Lil Tay’s family, and her father in particular (via Hot New Hip Hop).

There had reportedly been a custody battle between her parents in the past. Following the death hoax, Lil Tay is said to have moved in with her mother in LA after the legal dispute went in the latter’s favour.

Taking to Instagram Stories yesterday (September 26), Lil Tay shared what appeared to be an image of her father alongside the accusation that he was the one who faked her death. She also made claims that he is “abusive”, “racist” and “misogynistic”.

Lil Tay included her father’s full name, Christopher J. Hope. You can see a screenshot of the post above.

Hope has since issued a statement to TMZ in which he denied the accusations: “The person who is responsible for that Instagram post, as well as anyone repeating the completely false and libellous accusation within it, are virtually certain to become defendants in a defamation lawsuit.

“Everything stated is 100% false, and I trust that this should be obvious to anyone who knows me or the long history of absurd and untrue statements made by the various people who have controlled the Instagram account.”

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