Remembering Lil Tay's fast rise to fame as an internet sensation
Topics: Celebrity
Anish Vij
Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@liltay
Topics: Celebrity
Social media star and rapper Lil Tay - whose death was announced on Instagram on Wednesday (9 August) - had one of the shortest and most memorable internet careers ever.
Reportedly aged nine at the time, Lil Tay, real name Claire Hope, went viral in 2018 after posting content online where her internet persona would boast about being a billionaire who was on top of the rap game.
A statement shared on her Instagram page on Wednesday (9 August) read: "It is with a heavy heart that we share the devastating news of our beloved Claire's sudden and tragic passing.
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"We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain.
"This outcome was entirely unexpected, and has left us all in shock.
"Her brother's passing adds an even more unimaginable depth to our grief.
"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 irreplaccable void that will be felt by all who knew and loved her."
Lil Tay's exact age is unknown and the cause of her death has not been revealed.
Back in 2018, Lil Tay described herself as the 'youngest flexer of the century'.
But in late 2017, two videos changed her life.
The two clips showed the young girl showing off her jewellery while bragging about having a lot of money.
She started to become really viral, though, when YouTuber RiceGum made a video about her.
Tay then responded by roasting him and calling him irrelevant in a video which quickly racked up millions of views in the process.
A year later was the peak of her fame and the nine-year-old's short career was far from normal.
It consisted of millions of followers, court orders, influencer fights and hanging out with internet celebrities.
At first, she reportedly lived with her mother and step-brother, who was said to have been the mind behind Tay's success.
Then in that same year in 2018, Tay vanished from the internet.
Some reports suggest that she moved from LA to Canada to live with her stepdad.
Tay's last Instagram post was on 18 June, 2018 where she shared a screenshot of a FaceTime conversation with rap star XXXTentacion after his death.
"X you truly changed me you were there for me when everyone wanted me to fail, you were there to give me advice, you were there," she wrote.
"As a father figure, when I don’t have one, you were here, FaceTiming me and calling me for hours when I’m down, 3 hours ago you announced the Charity event we were going to throw, we had everything setup, I can’t believe this, the evil in the world, This isn’t good Bye. I Love you Bro."