Instagram sensation Lyric ‘Yhung’ Chanel dies after battle with cancer
ATLANTA, Georgia (KTRK) – Celebrities and supporters filled social media with heartfelt messages following the death of Instagram sensation Lyric “Yhung” Chanel.Lyric Chanel lost her battle after years of fighting brain cancer and anaplastic ependymoma.In Nov. 2020, Lyric underwent surgery in the Texas Medical Center to remove a tumor, according to her GoFundMe page. Unfortunately, the tumor grew back and spread to various parts of her brain just two months later. That’s when doctors told her there was nothing else they could do.The young social media star was acknowledged by celebrities such as Beyonce and rapper Cardi B for her strength, resilience and undeniable optimism during her fight with cancer. She also developed a special bond with Houston rapper Trae Tha Truth, who she affectionately called her uncle.Lyric and her family grew her social media presence by documenting the good and bad experiences she endured as a child battling a chronic condition. She also shared her love for fashion and style with her followers.In a video posted to Instagram by photographer Marcus Owens, Lyric was seen dancing, laughing and smiling while getting glammed for her first-ever photoshoot. Owens said Lyric was the strongest person he had ever met.Funeral arrangements have not been set.
Who was Lyric Chanel? Houston girl adored by Beyoncé and Cardi B dies after losing tragic cancer battle at 13
In a heartbreaking tragedy, Lyric Chanel — the 13-year-old who captured the hearts of Beyonce and Traiter Truth and was probably one of the biggest fans of Cardi B — died on March 5, 2021. The family announced it on her Instagram account after sharing one of her last photos. The post read, “She is resting so peacefully and so beautiful. I can see your halo baby girl💙 Heaven gained a beautiful Angel this morning 💙.”
The news left many shocked and they poured heartwarming wishes for her. Talking about her personality, Beyonce’s spokeswoman Yvette Noel Schule once tried to lift her spirits and said, “I tried to write something, but I can’t find the words. This is not a good thing. This is not a simple comment. The lyrics are a joy. She hugs the perfect stranger and remains positive throughout. I’m at a loss to find something else to write. My heart breaks.”
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“We are truly sorry for your loss. Chanel had a special place in so many hearts🙏🏽💞,” one comment read and another said, “Monica you are the strongest mother. Thanks for sharing your baby with the world we’ve all been touched by an angel.”
A third comment said, “Sending you love ❤️ Lyric truly changed my life for the better ❤️❤️❤️ What an amazing young woman and an amazing family. Thank you for sharing lyric and her light💡 with all of us ❤️,” and another read, “We damn sure had a celebration one last time. Love you forever.”
Lyric Chanel (Instagram / yhung.chanel_)
Who was Lyric Chanel?
Born as Yhung Lyric Chanel, the young girl was only 11 when she was diagnosed with a form of brain cancer called anaplastic ependymoma. Over the years, she documented her fight against brain tumors and garnered over 470,000 followers on social media. Chanel grew up in Houston with her family and her mother, Monica Valentine, was one of her biggest support systems. By the time she was taken to the doctors, cancer had developed to stage 3 – its highest stage.
The family recorded more than 10 surgeries, including chemotherapy, and her mom posted on March 4, 2021, “I just received news from the doctor that Lyric is dying and I only have a few days to live … these are the hardest words to hear.” Back in December 2020, her mother told The Breakfast Club, “She doesn’t say too much that [the word ‘die’] much anymore… She told me, ‘Mom, I don’t want to ‘D’,’ because I told her don’t say ‘die.’ And I said, ‘That’s not going to happen.’”
Lyric Chanel (Instagram / yhung.chanel_)
Beyonce to Cardi B: Singers who made a difference
To bring a little joy into her life, Beyonce once surprised her with a gift hamper from her Ivy Park collection! Sharing it with her fans, Chanel wrote, “@Beyonce, thank you for not being able to come any longer. I just came back after receiving chemotherapy and saw the surprise I was waiting for. I really love you. You This is my Yonse.”
Not just her, Cardi B sent her a video and commended her saying she was happy to see Lyric dancing, smiling and creating Tik Tok videos despite her illness. Rapper Trae tha Truth — who went on to become one of her closest friends — visited Lyric and her family often and she called him ‘Uncle Trae’.
Catch the old videos and posts here:
‘Don’t make Lyric Chanel’s passing about her wish for Beyoncé to sing to her’
After her death, a lot of people on the Internet came together to pay tributes. “Rest In Peace to one of Cardi’s biggest fans Lyric Chanel. Sending all the love and comfort in the world to her family at this time.” Another wrote, “damn RIP to my lil cousin, Keep watch over your mom, dad, and sisters cause they will need to feel your presence. REST UP BABYGIRL and I am glad to see how blessed you were to touch so many. We love you.”
“I’m so heartbroken by Lyric Chanel’s death…. but I’m happy she’s no longer in pain. Prayers to her family! Such a beautiful girl inside and out. Her strength is unmatched.” Another said, “I really pray to God that they don’t make Lyric Chanel’s passing about her wish for Beyoncé to sing to her. Let that girl rest please.”
Rest In Peace to one of Cardi’s biggest fans Lyric Chanel. Sending all the love and comfort in the world to her family at this time. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/B1IdWdqMLV — Fan Account | #BLM (@BardiUpdatess) March 5, 2021
damn RIP to my lil cousin, Keep watch over your mom, dad, and sisters cause they will need to feel your presence. REST UP BABYGIRL an I am glad to see how blessed you were to touch so many. We love you LYRIC CHANEL JACKS #FUCKCANCER pic.twitter.com/nhgDkykkkI — where would i be if it wasnt for me (@ybskylar) March 5, 2021
I’m so heart broke by Lyric Chanel’s death…. but I’m happy she’s no longer in pain. Prayers to her family! Such a beautiful girl inside and out. Her strength is unmatched. — Jayda Bhina 🦋 (@jadethebrand) March 5, 2021
I really pray to God that they don’t make Lyric Chanel’s passing about her wish for Beyoncé to sing to her. Let that girl rest please. — Dejon 🏁 (@dejonkmc) March 5, 2021
Catch some of her pictures here.
Chanel Contos petition: Real reason for rape culture in our schools
OPINION
Why does it take yet another brave young woman to stand up and call out the sickening, and often criminal, behaviour of her male peers to draw national attention to a culture which, far from valuing young women, demeans and disrespects them, to the point of assuming that they want and deserve the non-consensual and even violent sex that features in today’s online porn.
Like Brittany Higgins whose allegations of rape in a Parliament House ministerial office went unaddressed for two years until she publicly exposed what happened on national television, it has taken the public telling of very graphic and distressing stories by former Sydney school students to expose the underbelly of disrespect, privilege and callousness displayed by young men towards young women.
This problem is not about girls — how they behave, how much they drink or what they wear. Nor is this problem about single-sex schools — where girls are actually empowered to stand up and speak out on issues that affect them — just as Chantel Contos has done with her petition.
This is a systemic centuries-old societal problem. It is fuelled by the over-sexualisation of women in the media and easy access to pornography that is increasingly aggressive towards women. It is behaviour that endorses male sexual entitlement, lack of accountability and a power imbalance — whether that is a young man taking advantage of a young woman at a party, or a work colleague or manager abusing their position of trust.
While it has been unsurprising to hear the principals of boys’ schools condemning behaviours that disrespect women and admitting that not enough is being done to stamp out toxic masculinity in their schools, is it not the remit of schools alone to change entrenched attitudes about gender roles or educate young people on what consent means. This is a pervasive issue that demands a collaborative and comprehensive national response from all levels of government, employers, schools and parents.
According to the 2016 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Personal Safety Survey, 1 in 6 women have experienced at least one sexual assault since the age of 15 compared to 1 in 25 men. ABS data also shows that the majority of recorded sexual assaults were perpetrated by males, with the highest offender rates occurring in males aged 15-19.
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Sadly all schools — whether coeducational or single-sex — are well versed in the kinds of sexual abuse and assault shared in the petition started by Ms Contos.
Undoubtedly the stories she has gathered have provided important insights into the types of sexual situations students are confronted with outside of school. And hopefully the public attention now garnered will provide a pivotal opportunity for schools, parents and the broader community to come together to provide the real support and education that young people need, and are calling for, particularly on the issue of consent and what constitutes a criminal act of sexual assault.
While there are no statistics specifically related to the sexual harassment and assault of school-age students, a 2016 report by the Australian Human Rights Commission revealed the alarming extent of sexual assault on Australian university campuses. In addition, the former Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick, followed up in 2018 with a report investigating the toxic culture of residential colleges at the University of Sydney.
Both reports revealed shocking statistics on sexual assault, abuse and harassment, including that women at university were more than three times as likely as men (10 per cent vs 2.9 per cent) to have been sexually assaulted; that the majority of perpetrators of sexual assault or sexual harassment in a university setting were male; and that in approximately half of these incidents, the perpetrator was known to the victim.
Similarly, a 2016 report by the Women and Equalities Committee of the UK House of Commons exposed, in its own words, “the shocking scale of sexual harassment and sexual violence” experienced by girls in schools in England.
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Evidence presented to the Committee included that almost one-third (29 per cent) of 16-18 year old girls experienced unwanted sexual touching at school and 59 per cent of girls and young women aged 13-21 said in 2014 that they had faced some form of sexual harassment at school or college in the past year.
Giving evidence to the Committee, Laura Bates, of the Everyday Sexism Project, described sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools as “a widespread, regular and common problem (and) something that the majority of girls are experiencing”.
While the point was not specifically addressed in the UK House of Commons report, it was clear that the evidence presented related to girls and young women in coeducational environments. There was no evidence of similar experiences reported by girls attending single-sex schools in the UK.
This is not in any way to diminish the call by Chantal Contos for young people to learn more about consent and what constitutes sexual assault, and for action to be taken where crimes have been committed. But clearly the issue of what happens inside coeducational schools, as well as what happens outside the school gates — regardless of what type of school a student attends — must be addressed and it must be addressed now.
We congratulate all of the girls and women who have bravely told their stories, and we commend the many boys and men who have, through their words and actions, demonstrated their genuine respect for women.
We can only hope that these stories act as a catalyst for real action and an enduring change across society so that the appalling culture of disrespect, male entitlement and the sexual assault of girls and women is brought to an end.
Loren Bridge is the Executive Officer of the Alliance of Girls’ Schools Australasia
To sign the petition, visit Ms Contos’ new website