In the sea of TikTok stars vying for attention on the fast-paced platform, 23-year-old Khabane “Khaby” Lame has soared above the rest, currently possessing the coveted status of TikTok’s most-followed user. And he’s done it all without saying a word.
Khaby Lame reigns as the most-followed TikTok star
Lame joined TikTok back in March 2020 after being laid off from a factory job—and since then, the Senegalese-Italian creator has amassed more than 160 million followers on TikTok and 80 million on Instagram. His rise to fame stems from his snarky yet silent humor, which he has used to mock unnecessarily complex and often bizarre “life hacks” shared by other TikTok users.
Lame has charmed the platform with his patented exasperated facial expressions and hand gestures, consistently racking up millions of views and likes on each video. And he’s increasingly captivated brands, too, which Lame revealed have shelled out up to $750,000 to sponsor a single video.
Last year, Lame signed a multi-year deal with luxury clothing brand Hugo Boss. And over the past six months, the creator has been tapped for a plethora of TikTok campaigns, from State Farm’s social-first Super Bowl push to comedic promos for movies including Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” Universal Pictures’ “Fast X” and Paramount Pictures’ “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.”
In addition to promoting movies, Lame is also extending his filming and editing skills to the big screen. He recently premiered a short film at the Taormina Film Festival in Italy.