The internet was shocked by the sudden news that Claire "Lil Tay" Hope had suddenly passed away on August 9. Hope gained infamy in the late 2010s for her boisterous internet persona. Her videos often showed her wads of cash and posting up in luxury apartments. While she called herself the "internet's hardest flexer", many YouTube detectives argued that it was just an act. These commentators argued that Hope was likely being directed by her parents. Furthermore, evidence emerged that Hope was likely filming at properties managed by her mother Angela Tian, a realtor.
However, Hope's star quickly faded into tragedy. First, videos containing then then-nine-year-old Hope using racial slurs emerged. Then, several interviews with outlets such as The Daily Beast saw Hope claim parental abuse and a forced move to Vancouver to be with her father after he reportedly threatened to have her mother arrested. Hope's social media pages were inactive from 2018 until the sudden announcement of her death this week. Despite all this, people are starting to question the sudden obituary.
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Is Lil Tay Dead?
Speculation has begun to emerge that Hope may not be dead and that her parents have faked her death in an attempt to bring new attention to the Lil Tay brand. This comes after her father, Christopher, seemingly refused to confirm her death. “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," Hope told the New York Post in a brief phone call. A similar statement was made by Henry Tsang, the alleged ex-manager of Lil Tay. “I have been in communication with individuals who have an intimate understanding of 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," Tsang told the US Sun.
Additionally, it's unclear where Hope was at the time of her alleged death. A spokesperson for the Vancouver PD told The Post that they had not received any reports of deaths matching Hope or her brother, Jason Tian. Tian was also reported to have died alongside Hope. Furthermore, The Post was unable to contact Hope's mother Angela, or the LAPD. This is a developing story and we'll have any updates here at HotNewHipHop.
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