Chicago rapper Tay 600, the 28-year-old artist, whose real name is Gerante Carpenter, has made headlines across social media platforms this week as rumors of his unexpected stunt sparked both outrage and fascination. According to reports circulating on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter — and fueled by hip-hop media outlet No Jumper — Tay allegedly used a disguise, possibly including a wig, to bypass the app’s gender-verification system.
While Tay has yet to publicly address the situation, the internet is buzzing with commentary. One YouTube video even suggested the rapper was “subliminally dissed” by fellow artist Bloodhound Vert for allegedly “wearing a wig to get on da Tea App.”
A post from X.
The Tea Dating Advice app, which has recently taken the No. 1 spot on the App Store’s list of free apps, is a buzzy new platform designed exclusively for women. It’s marketed as a digital “safe space” for women to share dating advice, experiences, and — in some cases — warnings.
With over 4 million users, the app lets women:
- Leave anonymous reviews of men they’ve dated
- Upload photos with “red flag” or “green flag” ratings
- Conduct background checks and reverse image searches
- Swap dating stories and safety tips with other users
To protect its community, the Tea App requires new users to verify their identity by submitting a selfie and photo ID. The app claims all documents are deleted after verification — but recent events have put that claim under scrutiny.
Just days before the Tay Capone incident went viral, the Tea app experienced a major data breach that exposed more than 72,000 images — including over 13,000 selfies and photo IDs used for verification. The breach sparked widespread concern about the platform’s security and user privacy, especially given its purpose as a safety tool for women.
The timing of Tay’s alleged infiltration only added fuel to the fire.
Tay 600 first rose to prominence as part of Chicago’s drill music scene, where he was affiliated with the 600 crew. In recent years, he rebranded himself as Tay Capone — a name he says reflects his growth from his “ignorant” past to a more evolved version of himself.
The incident has quickly become a lightning rod in larger discussions about privacy, gender-specific platforms, and the effectiveness — and vulnerability — of digital verification systems.
“It’s one thing to question how secure these platforms are,” one user posted on X (formerly Twitter). “It’s another thing entirely when someone actively tries to exploit them for clout or curiosity.”
Whether Tay Capone’s alleged actions were part of a prank, a social experiment, or something else remains unclear.
