Lil Tay’s Mom Teases Possible Comeback Following Death Hoax

The teenage social media sensation Lil Tay went viral this month after someone posted a false statement on Instagram saying that she and her older brother, Jason, had passed away.

The YouTuber stopped posting on Instagram in 2018 amid a vicious custody battle between her parents, in which her older brother had alleged abuse. Fans assumed the worst but were surprised when Lil Tay released a statement saying that only was she not dead, but that she was the victim of a hacker.

Although Meta has confirmed that they did have to help the teenager get back into her account, there are still many questions about Lil Tay and the ongoing custody battle between her two parents.

There have been new developments in the custody battle between Lil Tay’s parents, Angela Tian and Christopher Hope. On Friday, Angela’s lawyers Lorne MacLean, K.C., and Fraser MacLean told TMZ that Christopher has been ordered to pay $275,000 in back child support dating back to 2014. He has also been ordered to pay monthly child support for the 14-year-old star going forward.

In addition, Angela has now reportedly been given sole decision-making power of her daughter. Tay is now residing primarily with her mother and she has court authorization to relocate Lil Tay outside of Vancouver, should she choose to move.

During her rise in fame, Lil Tay had reportedly been living in L.A. for a bit; however, it was Christopher who got a court order in 2018 that required her to leave Los Angeles and return to Vancouver. Part of the order also forced the rising Internet celebrity to stop making new content.

The YouTuber had posted videos and photos of her flashing large stacks of cash, cursing, starting fights, and destroying property. Although her videos were controversial, she got over three million subscribers before she suddenly went silent in 2018 following the court order. Now that the restriction has been lifted, it is possible that Lil Tay will attempt a career comeback since she is allowed to post again.

Angela also told the outlet on Friday that the family has been “in a constant state of depression” due to the ongoing custody battle and called it a huge win for the family. She also slammed Christopher’s “disgusting financial motivation” amid the legal drama.

“I have been financially ruined fighting for my daughter’s rights and freedom which should have never been taken away to begin with. We have won our case in court and my children and I can finally move on from this nightmare,” she said. “My daughter can pursue and achieve her dreams on her own terms, and we are finally a happy family again, together."

Both parents wanted Lil Tay to become a rising star in the entertainment industry when she was only 8 years old. Although her mother approved of her social media content, her father had wanted her to pursue a more conventional approach to fame, like singing or acting.

Even though Meta has confirmed that they had to help Lil Tay get into her account, her ex-manager Harry Tsang questioned if the death hoax was done as a publicity stunt to get the minor’s name back in the headlines.

“Upon learning about Lil Tay’s assertion of her well-being, I find relief in the fact that she is safe. However, I believe the reported hacking incident may not have occurred,” he wrote in a statement to the Daily Mail. “My rationale for this perspective is twofold: firstly, the restoration of a compromised account on platforms like Meta/Instagram typically does not necessitate a 24-hour timeframe,” although Meta has now confirmed that her account really was hacked.

“Secondly, the actions of Lil Tay’s brother, renowned for his propensity for extreme measures, lead me to hypothesize an alternative motive behind this occurrence,” he added. Lil Tay's brother, Jason, has not spoken about the death hoax or the possibility of a career comeback for his sister.

“Simultaneously, if the underlying motive is indeed to rekindle Lil Tay’s prominence within the public sphere, I contend that such actions demonstrate a certain degree of irresponsibility,” Tsang added. “It’s essential to consider the potential repercussions of employing such tactics, particularly given their potential impact on the perceptions and sentiments of the broader audience.”