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Khaby Lame is a popular TikToker who was a leading content creator in 2022, with 148.2 million followers and 36.5 million video views. Khaby's fame increased like crazy, which made him become the face of known brands and an icon for youngsters.
All kinds of audiences welcomed his satirical and entertaining videos, and he wasn't making tremendous efforts. In most of the videos he features on TikTok, Khaby reacts to foolish or ridiculous situations people are creating and gives simple yet straightforward solutions for their problems without saying a word. Therefore, people appreciated him most for his common sense of how things should be done but were also amused by his expressions and non-verbal communication skills.
But behind the fame, Khaby has a story from which he became a star, and with the current success, he has big plans for the future.
The Story of Khaby Lame
Khabane Lame was born in on March 9, 2000, (we love a Piscean personality) in Senegal, but his family moved to Italy shortly after. After studying in Italian schools, Khaby got to work as a CNC machine operator at a factory around Turin. He was also working as a waiter to make matters end. Unfortunately, during the pandemic, he was dismissed from his job, a situation similar to millions of other people. With so much time on his hands and now living in his parent's apartment, Khaby thought about creating TikTok videos and making people laugh during those tough times.
Khaby is a simple person and has seen himself as a regular kid during childhood. His passions were football and anime, but also being the center of attention regarding entertainment. This changed years after when he became the leading content creator on TikTok, making millions.
Khaby and His Content
Khaby started posting around March 2020. Most of his videos were duets and stitches, meaning he reacted to other people's content, which is not unusual in social media. But what made his videos special was his reactions to the most absurd videos, mostly weird life hack videos. For example, people were slicing open bananas with knives or putting socks in odd ways, which were too complex and not-so-funny videos from other creators.
What did Khaby do? Nothing fancy, just responding to them with wordless content and a straight but disappointed face. Why would people slice bananas this way anyways? He simply takes a banana and peels it normally while rolling his eyes and extending his arms to show the proper way of doing things.
The Secret to Khaby's Success
In many of his interviews after he got famous, Khaby said that his face and expressions had led him here, as these two elements make people laugh the most. And given that he speaks primarily Italian and still struggles with English, the Senegalese-born Italian star created a "global language" for his audiences through which people can reach the message in simple ways.
Khaby's success was only based on his work and not on sponsorships or advertisements. The organic growth of his TikTok account is proof that authenticity will always surpass production. Now, with more than 100 million followers, Khaby finally got a full-time social media job that he appreciates.
Khaby has made it by being relatable but not trying too hard to fit in. His account and fame have grown by him being himself and appealing to people's liking and perceptions of social media. Internet users have noticed that businesses and influencers always post scripted videos, photos and reels, which makes everything less natural and relatable to regular people. On the other hand, Khaby is different and is not afraid to show his honest side.
The "Meme Bait" Effect
Khaby's popularity led to a series of meme baits, in which other accounts and personalities use his facial expressions for their own content. This, of course, has contributed to Khaby's acclaim but has also made Instagram complications and TikTok videos easier to engage with, so we can say many businesses and influencers owe him for his unique way of expressing his thoughts. At the same time, his content makes it easier for other content creators to get closer to their audiences.
Future Plans for Khaby Lame
After getting famous and a worldwide star, Khaby was constantly contacted by companies to represent them. For example, Boss has made a deal with the "Fresh Prince of TikTok," as Vogue calls him, to launch a collection together. But his debut in the modeling world started after his first runway of Milan Fashion Week. Celebrities and influencers as well have contacted Khaby to collaborate or just make a video together. The creator has also collaborated with Meta by being present in a promotional video for the metaverse.
In one of his interviews, Khaby said that his fame's secret is "endurance" as he posts every day to his socials, both Instagram and TikTok. And since his community is substantially made of supportive people, his friends and people from his hometown, we believe that Khaby will become even bigger in a few years, attending multiple fashion shows and collaborating with celebrities.
If you haven't watched any of his videos, we recommend Khaby's humor when you're having a bad day. His simplicity and humorous style of approaching content are unique, so you'll notice that many people appreciate him and his humor. You'll get to love Khaby and his humble yet genius side.