Meta confirms Lil Tay’s Instagram account was hacked in death hoax amid publicity stunt claims
- A statement claiming to be from Tay’s family was posted to her feed on Wednesday, alleging she and brother Jason Tian, 21, had both suddenly died
- Despite allegations the hoax was a ploy for publicity, the social media giant confirmed the hacking, noting it helped the Asian rapper regain control of her account
Lil Tay’s Instagram account was indeed hacked, leading to a post that falsely reported the Asian rapper’s death earlier this week, according to Meta.
A statement claiming to be from the family of Tay was posted to her feed on Wednesday, alleging she and brother Jason Tian, 21, had both suddenly died.
“We have no words to express the unbearable loss and indescribable pain,” read the since-deleted post. “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 [Tay] and her brother’s passing are still under investigation.”
News of their deaths rocked social media, however suspicions grew throughout the day as some close to Tay, whose mother is Chinese, said they could not (or would not) confirm the allegations.
According to Business Insider, Tay’s father, Christopher Hope, “declined to answer whether his daughter was still alive,” while her former manager Harry Tsang said the situation called for “cautious consideration.”
