Anyone who watched performances from Coachella 2018 may be wondering who exactly that small rapper alongside Woah Vicky was. If that doesn’t ring a bell, perhaps you remember the girl who got into a public spat with the infamous Bhad Bhabie, aka Cash Me Outside Girl. Regardless, here is what you should know about 9-year-old Lil Tay Cosgrove, one of the most recent children to go viral for reasons that may be less than positive.
Her rise to fame is allegedly due to her ability to rap since the tender age of 7. No one knows Lil Tay’s real name yet; the only information available about her background is that she claims that she used to be broke in Atlanta, Georgia, before deciding to change her life.
In her exact words, she insinuates, “ … one day, I woke up, and I said to myself, ‘I ain’t going to be broke no more.’ So, I got up and worked hard, started moving bricks and now we be living in the Hills.”
As the self-proclaimed “youngest flexer of the century,” Lil Tay has been making headlines recently for boasting her wealth, using surprisingly profane language and, most famously, calling out others for their lack of status.
In her now-viral Instagram video posts, viewers see her showing off flashy cars while holding stacks of money, claiming that the amount of cash in her hand is “your mama’s rent money.” She apparently drives around Los Angeles in her fancy vehicles, each of which cost her “200 racks,” without a license.
The recent involvement of Lil Tay includes her beef with Bhad Bhabie and Woah Vicky, both of whom engaged in an altercation while Lil Tay either stood by or joined in.
The video footage has gone viral, and the pint-sized rapper posted it on her Instagram page with the caption “Really be talkin’ all that but paid and brought 2 bodyguards to fight. Big L. You double my age but the same height.” It’s clear that despite not knowing anything about her background, she is quick to point out the status and upbringing of others.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhsrAvCDSRz/?hl=en&taken-by=liltay
Little to nothing is known about her parents, something viewers and critics of the rapper are quick to point out. There are many demands on nearly all of her social media posts to have her parents control her or to prevent her actions for the sake of her future.
Logistically speaking, it is surprising that they have not caught wind of their daughter’s actions, or if they have, they either support or ignore them. Many even suggest that her parents are the ones behind her success, exploiting their daughter for popularity and money. Lil Tay herself hasn’t mentioned her parental figures, and the lack of action causes many to raise an eyebrow in suspicion.
Lil Tay released a song titled “Money Way” in March 2018, which portrays lyrics that explicitly state her wealth and immeasurable status. For example, the song says, “I keep a chopper on me. F*ck that b*tch up all my diamonds on freeze.”
Despite the questionable lyrics for a 9-year-old, it looks like this will not be her last piece of work, as the rapper has let the public know she is collaborating with fellow rapper Chief Keef on a song.
The pattern seen with viral children continues to get more and more bizarre. Lil Tay follows recent viral superstar Mason Ramsey, or Yodeling Walmart Kid, as one of the youngest sensations to blow up on social media.
While both scenarios had different origins and even different progressions, society’s need for new and relevant content is never-ending. Lil Tay banks on the fact that she is getting millions of people to watch her videos and to view her social media, whether they’re fans or haters.
The matter of the fact is that any attention someone receives remains attention, despite whatever angle it comes from. Going to the extremes is just another stepping stone for those itching to gain the spotlight and willing to do anything and everything. While Lil Tay may not be a fan favorite, there is no denying her mark in the social movement of pop culture in 2018.
