Lil Tjay is not dead: Death hoax sweeps internet but rapper is still alive Tue May 11, 2021 at 11:21am ET Lil Tjay is still alive despite death hoax claiming the rapper passed away. Pic credit: Lil Tjay/Instagram Lil Tjay is the latest celebrity target of a death hoax after a viral article claimed the Call my Phone rapper was shot dead. The hoax article, which was shared on Facebook over 20,000 times, claims the 20-year-old rapper was found in his home after being shot dead. However, Lil Tjay, whose real name is Tione Jayden Merrit, is still very much alive. The hoax adds far-fetched details claiming that the rapper was killed by a perpetrator wearing black clothes, shoes and drove a black Lamborghini.