After vine influencer and popular musician, Jay Versace posted a GoFundMe to cover his late mother’s funeral costs, it sparked a debate for some online. Jay Versace, whose real name is Jay Gunter, became popular online through his iconic vines when the app was still around. His videos garnered him over three million followers. Now, he produces music and even won a Grammy for his contribution to Tyler the Creator’s 2021 album “Call Me if You Get Lost.” Due to his success, many found it odd that he would have to ask for donations in order to cover funeral costs. “Jay Versace having to start a GoFundMe for his mother’s passing is so heartbreaking considering the impact he has had on social media for nearly our entire adolescence.”
jay versace having to start a gofundme for his mothers passing is so heartbreaking considering the impact he has had on social media for nearly our entire adolescence
— ? (@aliyahInterlude) May 20, 2022
This sparked a debate on Twitter. Some believed since he won a Grammy and had been an influencer for quite some time, they assumed he could cover the expensive funeral costs. But, according to his GoFundMe “Jay and the family have exhausted their financial resources while supporting Dolly’s ongoing medical battles which created housing and financial issues.” Many on Twitter defended Gunter, with one person writing “I can’t believe Jay Versace’s mom passed away and he spent all his income paying for the hospital bills and now they facing housing issues and lack funeral funds… this is so freaking sad man… may God assist them.”
this has truly been one of the saddest times of my life, I don’t wish this pain on anyone. plz help me send my momma off smoothly , anything helps ????????https://t.co/CI8L6Qc9WN
— ︎J (@JAYVERSACE) May 20, 2022
Some debated that this was an issue of Gunter not being paid enough. “Jay Versace is a grammy-winning producer who is still struggling to pay his mother’s funeral bills, if that doesn’t highlight the exploitative nature of the music industry, I don’t know what will,” one person noted. Others wondered if it was a race issue, as one person commented that “Jay Versace having to ask fans for money is bonkers to me when his literal COWORKERS are swimming in money. There are people he has produced for that could have given him the 30k instead of buying a fucking watch. Literal pocket change to them. Rich people are gross.”
Do you know how humiliating it must be to come forward and ask your fans in a literal recession to help you bury your mother when people you shake hands with sneeze that money away in minutes. Crazy, like actually fucking crazy to me.
— kz ✨ (@cheesybutter420) May 20, 2022
On Twitter, Gunter wrote about the heartbreak, saying “this has truly been one of the saddest times of my life, I don’t wish this pain on anyone.” He follows it up by noting how he was “dreading asking for help but so many ppl showed love and compassion and I feel so happy that I can not only give her a good homegoing service but navigate a new space for my sibling.” Thankfully, many people sent the creator well wishes, and as of today, he has doubled his goal on GoFundMe
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