From the factory floor to the top of TikTok.
Former factory worker has become TikTok's most popular star — after losing his job due to the COVID-19 outbreak, creating an account on a social media app 2 Years later.
Khabane Lame, 22, became the world's top TikToker on Wednesday, officially overtaking the American sensationCharli D'Amelio, 18. As of Thursday afternoon, Lame has an astonishing 142.8 million followers. D'Amelio lags behind with 142.3 million people.
"King is number one on TIKTOK," shouted after one fan jumped to the top under Lame'slatest clip.
Lame, who claims to be a comedian and shares a humorous clip of influential influencers and their best videos, hasn't commented on the milestone moment yet.
Lame before moving to Italy with her parents Born in Senegal in 2000. following year.
After graduating from high school, he began working as a machine operator in a city in northern Turin before being fired in March 2020.
"I was bored because the pandemic was just beginning. I had so much time that I started making videos on TikTok," Lamesaid in an interview this March. I told Forbes.
The young man started a parody of the TikTok clip. In this clip, the creator showed off "simple" hacks such as washing dishes and cutting bangs.
Lame, who is currently learning to speak English, rarely speaks in videos. In short, his clips rely on visual humor and are accessible to viewers around the world.
"I describe myself as a simple person, but I'm full of ideas and inspiration," Lame explained. "Making people laugh has always been the greatest passion of my life."
The New York Timesattributed Lame's successto the quality of "everyone" in the profile published last year.
"His work lacks the sophisticated production value associated with today's most famous TikTok star ... his rise is completely organic," they said.
"He almost represents this credibility of the production," added one social media expert. "I find it very attractive to large people. This feeling that someone isn't working hard feels real."
But he tells Forbes, he. The videos look simple, but he said he put a lot of thought into creating them.
"Every day, it takes at least three hours to find the right video for your parody," he explained. "I'm always careful not to offend anyone with my videos, and I always like to make jokes in a friendly parody."
Lame's videos have recorded a total of 2.3 billion amazing likes, and each of his videos Is usually watched by tens of millions of people, giving him an incredible reach and making him one of the most influential young people on the planet.
But the star said he was still shocked by his unexpected rise in fame — and hopes to move to Hollywood soon.
"I started this for fun, and I didn't expect anything from this," he said. "My background and journey empower me to believe in my dreams and move forward, because with commitment and patience, I can make my dreams come true."
