Lil Tay's Ethnicity & Parents: She Was Born to a Chinese Mom and a Canadian Dad

Internet star Lil Tay, born Tay Tian, rose to controversial fame at nine. She was born to Angela Tian and Chris Hope and was recently reported to have died. However, a new report claim she is still very much alive.

In a now-deleted Instagram post on her account, after disappearing for five years amid abuse and exploitation allegations, Lil Tay and her brother, Jason Tian, were said to have died "suddenly" and "tragically."

Furthermore, the circumstances surrounding their deaths were said to be under investigation. While Tay's family supposedly mourned the loss of the influencer and her brother, Tay reached out to TMZ nearly 24 hours later.

The 14-year-old told the publication she and Jason were safe and alive, and her Instagram had been hacked. "It's been a very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones, all while trying to sort out this mess," she said.

The fake death announcement is only one of many controversies that led Tay to make headlines in recent years, even after vanishing from social media in 2018. And while they have drawn much scrutiny, they've aroused just as much concern.

Lil Tay's Parents Separated When She Was a Year Old

Tay's parents, Angela Tian and Chris Hope were never married and ended their relationship when Tay was a toddler. Chris moved on and married another woman, Hanee Hope. Chris was said to have been an absent parent in Tay and Jason's lives.

In his reported absenteeism, Tay lived an active life, beginning ballet classes at four and participating in Royal Ballet Academy competitions. Additionally, she took lessons in several sports, Chinese, art, and piano. Her favorite movie is said to be "La La Land," which starred Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.

Lil Tay's Mother Worked In Real Estate

It's unknown how long Tay's mother had worked in Real Estate, but in late 2017, she joined the real estate firm Pacific Place Group in Vancouver, Canada. It was around the same time Tay was gaining notoriety on social media for her eyebrow-raising content.

In May 2018, news emerged that Angela had been dismissed from Pacific Place Group after the agency's director expressed worry that her daughter's online reputation would stain that of the firm. However, it was later confirmed that Angela resigned before they "had a chance" to dismiss her.

Lil Tay's Parents Were Accused of Abuse and Exploitation

The same month her mother resigned from work, Tay appeared on "The Zach Sang Show," where she claimed she was a Harvard dropout and was independently running her career. Still, concerned netizens worried she was being forced to make her controversial videos.

Some even suggested Angela would try to profit off Tay's fame and should be investigated for abuse. However, in an interview on "Good Morning America" alongside Angela, Tay insisted that she was not being coerced and was happy with what she was doing.

Additionally, Angela defended her daughter's online behavior, saying it was all a comic act, adding, "Some people don't get the joke." Later in 2018, allegations arose that Chris abused Tay and once "locked her in a closet" while out with his wife.

Chris denied these accusations, which came after he had reportedly filed for Tay's full custody. He, too, faced allegations of attempting to exploit his daughter, but in response, he claimed he disapproved of her social activity. He said he was trying to protect her from people trying to profit from her success.