RAPPER Lil Tay’s fans have expressed their concern over the teen dressing as a scantily clad Britney Spears for Halloween.
The 16-year-old, who went viral earlier this year when a hoax claimed she had died, posted a series of photos in the Halloween costume on Tuesday.
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In the pictures posted to Instagram, the rapper can be seen holding a giant yellow snake.
“I’m a Slave 4 U,” Lil Tay wrote in the description before tagging Spears.
The caption is clearly a reference to the older pop star’s 2001 track I’m a Slave 4 U, which went platinum in the US and peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Spears fans will also recognize the allusion to a related moment in her career.
The pop star performed the track with a yellow snake while wearing a strikingly similar outfit with a green top and bejeweled bottoms at the 2001 Video Music Awards.
A clip from the award show was the last slide in Lil Tay’s post.
I’m a Slave 4 U’s lyrics are about an adolescent girl growing into her womanhood.
“All you people look at me like I’m a little girl,” Spears sang.
“Well, did you ever think it’d be OK for me to step into this world?”
Many commenters on Lil Tay’s post were deeply concerned by what could be construed as a sexualized portrayal of a minor.
“Bro you’re literally still a child wtf,” one said.
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“What happened to kids dressing up as Princesses and shi,” said another.
Others called out Instagram users for reportedly sexualizing Lil Tay in the comments.
“Some of you (guys) need to be watched,” one person said.
“Let’s remember she’s a minor!!! keep it clean,” said another.
“The fact that the comments are half adults thirsting over a (teenager) and half people hating on HER for sexualizing herself instead of the people in her life and society that tells her it’s OK as if she’s not a literal child is upsetting to say the least,” a different commenter said.
“And don’t get me started on how telling it is that she’s dressed as BRITNEY of all people.”
Spears released a new memoir titled The Woman in Me last week.
In the book, the pop star spoke about how challenging it was to be a teenage pop star and the trauma she experienced through some of her sexual and romantic exploits.
Another commenter spoke about how quickly Lil Tay has grown up.
“I swear to god she was 9yo a year ago what happened,” they said.
Lil Tay first became an internet star in 2018 when the Canadian started posting crass videos on social media with the help of her older brother.
But later that year she disappeared from social media amidst a conflict between her family members.
The young star returned to the spotlight in August after a message claiming she had died was posted on her Instagram account.
Lil Tay later revealed that she’s alive and well and has been making headlines regularly ever since.
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