Khaby Lame is letting the numbers do the talking.
As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Lame, now one of the most-followed creators, was once a factory worker in Chivasso, Italy.
Lame was later fired from his job, returned to live with his family, and decided to not look back. Instead, he chose to bank on what was once merely a hobby — TikTok — during the onset of COVID-19.
“When I started making videos, people told me to get a proper job,” he mentioned to Forbes in 2023. “But I continued to make videos because that’s what I like doing, even though no one was watching them.”
It would ultimately become a money machine because he stood out for reacting to memes and viral videos without saying a word.
“It’s my face and my expressions which make people laugh,” he told The New York Times in 2021.
Remaining in his own lane, the creator has been able to work alongside talents such as Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., and Tom Cruise.
Today, he is the most followed user on TikTok, with 162.5 million followers paired with 2.5 billion likes. He also has 81.2 million followers on Instagram, at the time of this writing.
Within the last year, Lame has also partnered with Warner Bros. Pictures and the Mr. Pink Brand, which markets itself as a healthy non-alcoholic beverage.
What’s more, Lame is strategic with his partnerships to ensure they align with his core audience.
“I want to work clean. I’ve never worked with an alcohol company, cigarettes, or anything bad for you because a lot of kids follow me,” he told Forbes in the 2023 interview.
Lame is also in his entrepreneurial bag, having landed a deal with Walmart. Customers can now search the shelves for his products, which include a garlic peeler and crusher, a nut chopper, taco holder set, tortilla bowl pan set, and bowl hugger.
@momofboys088
Today, Lame is the top Black creator, according to Forbes. He takes the 10th spot on Top Creators 2024 list with $20 million in earnings.
