Lil Tay Opens Up In First Interview After Viral Death Hoax, Talks Her Music Career, a TV Role She Missed Out On & More
Three months after it was falsely reported that Lil Tay was dead, the social media influencer is opening up in a new interview.
The 16-year-old (whose real name is Claire Hope) was reported dead in early August. The following day, she took to social media to confirm that it was all a hoax, saying that her account was hacked.
A few weeks later, Tay returned to social media in earnest to release a music video and launch a music career.
In her latest move, she sat down for a revealing interview with Rolling Stone, where she discussed her relationship with her family, her musical ambitions, a role in a television show that got away from her and so much more.
Read more about Lil Tay’s interview…
Tay addressed the fact that the release of her first music video timed up with the hoax, saying that it was not intentional but was instead timed around a custody battle between her mom and dad, the latter of whom Tay calls “the deadbeat.”
“I had some songs that I wanted to put out after winning my freedom. And thankfully, I did. So I was looking to get back on track as soon as I could. And then the death thing happens,” she said.
Elsewhere in the interview, she acknowledged that she “really wanted to get things going.” Then came the hoax. “And this was just something that came out of absolutely nowhere. And I had to clean up.”
Throughout Rolling Stone’s story, multiple people are named as potentially being behind the hoax. However, everyone denied the allegations. The list of people blamed includes Tay‘s father, brother and others.
The star also addressed her viral internet personality, explaining that it was only a part of her personality.
“It’s all about context,” she said. “If you were talking s-it to my face, I’d be talking s-it to your face right now. You’re asking me about my music. And I have no reason to call you a broke-ass b-tch … right now.”
Elsewhere, Tay discussed opportunities that she was offered. She said that she “contacted” to play Ashtray in Euphoria, a role that ultimately went to Javon Walton. She was reportedly offered a chance to audition but was unable to accept due to the custody battle between her parents.
She and her PR team alleged that she was offered a chance to record with Rick Rubin and a chance to tour with Eminem. The latter’s team denied the allegation, calling an email that was shown to Rolling Stone “bogus.”
“She got great offers, but she wasn’t able to show the world because we needed to sign a contract,” Her mom Angela Tian said. “And that’s why the absentee father insert[ed himself].”
Tay‘s dad Christopher Hope denied this as well as any allegations involving him in the death hoax. “I did not cost her valuable opportunities but tried to prevent her from ruining her life,” he says.
“I had all of these things coming for me, I had my dreams within reach,” Tay said. “And then this person that I thought I escaped a very long time ago, comes in out of nowhere and takes it all down.”
The social media star also revealed a connection she had to a fictional child star of sorts – Harry Potter.
“He had a troubled childhood and home life, and he was staying with his aunt and uncle who were very abusive,” she told the outlet. “And he was famous from when he was one, but he didn’t experience that fame until he was 11.”
Tay continued, slamming the fictional character Rita Skeeter, a tabloid reporter. “The entire wizarding world was slandering him,” she said of Harry. “And I was like, ‘Wow, that hits really close to home.’ [Because] I’ve had to deal with that.”
See what Tay had to say about things upon her return to social media after she was reported dead.