Lil Tay makes grand return with new music video following death hoax
Lil Tay is making her return.
The 14-year-old influencer released a music video for her new song "Sucker 4 Green" on Saturday, nearly two months after a post on her Instagram page announced her death.
Lil Tay's new song is pop, a contrast from her previous rap persona. In the lyrics, she expresses her love of cash, singing in the chorus: "Money, money, money / Money, money, money / I just can’t look away from it, I want it, want it, want it."
As a nod to her past viral videos, she flaunts her wealth in the form of luxury cars in a garage and filming throughout a mansion. The video ends with Lil Tay, her mother Angela Tian and brother Jason Tian sprinkling money off a balcony.
"THE BIGGEST COMEBACK OF THE CENTURY," Lil Tay wrote in a pinned comment under her video on YouTube.
The teen's return comes after Lil Tay's Instagram account mourned her death in a since-deleted post on Aug. 9. More than a week later, her mom's lawyers confirmed to USA TODAY that the young Canadian influencer is alive.
On Aug. 10, Lil Tay's family told TMZ that her Instagram account was compromised. USA TODAY reached out to Meta to confirm the hacking but did not receive a response.
Lil Tay's return to entertainment comes after the end of her parents' child support battle in August.
Lawyers for her mother provided specifics in a statement to USA TODAY on Aug. 18. The Vancouver-based law firm MacLean Law "successfully obtained orders for our client that have enabled her daughter to advance her career," according to family lawyers Lorne MacLean, K.C., and Fraser MacLean.
Her mother obtained retroactive child support as well as ongoing monthly child support for Lil Tay − referred to as Tay Tian by her mother and lawyers − from Lil Tay's father. The law firm said Angela Tian was also awarded "sole day-to-day and final decision-making powers and responsibilities in the best interests of Tay Tian," as well as the ability to sign contracts. Lil Tay's primary residence will be with her mother, and the two are free to relocate outside of Vancouver, according to the MacLeans.
USA TODAY has reached out to a lawyer representing Lil Tay's father, Christopher Hope, for a statement.
On Saturday, Lil Tay's management revealed in a statement to USA TODAY that the teen has moved out of Canada. "Her return to Los Angeles is a huge step in the right direction and she can now pursue her career on her terms and start a new life," the statement said. "She has full control over her social media accounts now and is excited to share who she really is."
The teen's battle with her father ramped up in the days leading up to her music video release. In an Instagram Story, Lil Tay alleged that her father was "abusive" and "faked" her death.
On Instagram Live Friday, she claimed her father tried to take control of her finances and was neglectful when she was under his care.
Lil Tay is alive:Influencer is living with her mom after custody, child support battle in Canada
Hope denied the allegations from Lil Tay's Instagram Story in a statement to TMZ. "Everything stated is 100% false, and I trust that this should be obvious to anyone who knows me or the long history of absurd and untrue statements made by the various people who have controlled (Lil Tay's) Instagram account," he added.
USA TODAY has reached out to representatives for Lil Tay and Hope.
Contributing: KiMi Robinson and Edward Segarra, USA TODAY
What we know:Lil Tay is confirmed alive, blames Instagram hacking for death announcement