Viral Instagram rapper Lil Tay is very much alive, despite news of her death at the age of 14 dominating the press and social media less than 24 hours ago. In an interview with TMZ, she said her Instagram account was hacked and used to spread “shocking information” that she and her brother, Jason Tian, 21, had died under mysterious circumstances. .
“I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I am heartbroken and struggling to find the right words to say,” Lil Tay told TMZ. “It has been a very traumatic 24 hours. All day yesterday I was bombarded with emotional and tearful calls from loved ones as I tried to sort this mess out.”
The rumors started with a post on Lil Tay’s verified Instagram account on Wednesday (8/9). Published by an anonymous author, the statement said both Lil Tay and her brother were dead, referring to their deaths as “sudden” and an “unbearable loss.”
In the hours following the post, however, Lil Tay’s father Christopher refused to confirm whether or not she and her brother were dead. And while other influencers, like fellow viral rapper WoahVicky, have posted tributes to the young star, others close to her have begun to doubt the news of her.
The connection to cryptocurrency
But the story doesn’t end with the hacker’s complaint.
Rolling Stone magazine has discovered that the Instagram post announcing his death coincides with the launch of a cryptocurrency project in his name, apparently led by his manager, Harry Tsang.
The cryptocurrency project was revealed in May 2023, with an Instagram account and corresponding website. The site’s description invited users to join and become “one of the youngest flexers of the century,” using a slang term (flex) that refers to showing off. The site was suddenly taken offline after TMZ reported that Lil Tay was still alive.
The personal website of Harry Tsang, named CEO of Lil Tay Token in a recent tweet, redirected users to the token’s website, and metadata in a white paper posted on the website listed Tsang as the author. The description of the cryptocurrency on social networks said that it had not yet been launched, but a Bit Times article stated that it would be released this Friday (8/10), the day after the announcement of the death on Instagram.
A note on the PinkSale website stated that its sale had been temporarily canceled, referring to the Instagram post and its impact on the value of the token. The description read: “$LILTAY is a combination of a MEME and UTILITIES token based on the late influencer Liltay. The youngest flexer of the century. We are good to go.”
After news that Lil Tay was alive was posted on TMZ, the Lil Tay Token account changed its tune. “I’m sharing this to let everyone know we’re not releasing anything anytime soon. We’ve been in development for 4-5 months. If someone is asking for money saying he’s involved with $liltay, that’s not true,” the account tweeted.
The connection between the false death and the cryptocurrency project has attracted attention and remains a mysterious and unsolved part of the story. The suspicious nature of the announcement of death coupled with the simultaneous launch of the cryptocurrency has left many questioning the true intentions behind these events.
accusations
In a statement shared with Rolling Stone, Tsang said she was happy she was alive and safe, but believed the hack never happened and may have been a ploy to get money. She accused the child rapper and his brother of being behind a coup.
“The actions of Lil Tay’s brother, known for his penchant for extreme measures, lead me to theorize an alternative reason behind this development,” Tsang said. “It is conceivable that the intent behind these events may be rooted in an effort to illicitly extract funds from devoted supporters and unsuspecting bystanders.”
The repercussions and Lil Tay’s past
While the public and media have expressed delight at the news that the 14-year-old influencer is alive, many are unhappy to be used to publicize her fake death and are furious at what may have been a “publicity stunt”.
Amidst the controversy, Lil Tay’s past has once again been called into question.
Though it’s been several years since the influencer became a household name, Lil Tay’s rise has been based on lies and age-inappropriate exploits. She rose to fame by pretending to smoke weed, posing with piles of cash, and driving fancy cars while yelling bad words at the camera.
In 2018, Lil Tay’s account was deleted, except for one post on his Instagram Stories that simply said “help.” Since then, Lil Tay has largely disappeared from the internet, only to come to attention with his presumed death.
Source: Terra
I am Amanda Gans, a motivated and ambitious professional in the news writing industry. With over five years of experience in this field, I have developed an eye for detail and an ability to craft stories that captivate readers. I currently write for Gossipify, where I specialize in beauty & celebrities news. My passion lies with exploring the world of beauty through writing, interviewing experts and developing articles that are both informative and entertaining.
