Khaby Lame Turned Tragedy Into Fame On TikTok

Khaby Lame has over 100 million followers on TikTok, and his formula to success is simple yet hilarious. He reacts to ridiculous TikTok videos by showing easier solutions to complicated “life hacks,” and his hilarious facial expressions speak louder than words.

Who Is Khaby Lame?

Born in Senegal, Khabane Lame moved to Chivasso, Italy, with his family when he was 1 years old. Before the coronavirus pandemic hit, he worked in a factory and lost his job to the pandemic in March 2020. Facing unemployment and poverty, he did what many of us did at the start of the pandemic – he downloaded TikTok.

Since starting his TikTok, under the name Khaby Lame, the 21-year-old has amassed 103.8 million followers, making him the second most followed person on the app after Charli D’Amelio. The best part is that he hasn’t let the fame get to him and seems like the nicest guy.

Khaby Lame’s Rise to Fame

The majority of Lame’s content is comedic. He pokes fun at viral “life hacks” that make no sense and at people who go out of their way to show off on social media, only to look dumb in the process. Some popular examples include a person making intricate cuts on a milk carton, only for Lame to show that you can achieve the same result in one clean snip. Another one shows someone flipping a rearview mirror to the side and using it to see people walking on the side of the road, and Lame points out that you can just look outside your door. 

The best part of these videos is that Lame rarely speaks, and the comedy is in his facial expressions and gestures. This makes him accessible to viewers around the world because there’s no language barrier. It also just reinforces the simplicity of his solutions.

Lame is grateful for his platform and loves his fans. He says, "I am honoured to have achieved this milestone, made possible by the global TikTok community. I am passionate about entertaining and making people laugh since childhood, and I am thankful to TikTok for offering me a global stage to share my passion with the rest of the world. I will continue to work towards my dreams, knowing I can count on a beautiful community ready to cheer me on. Thank you and I love you all!" Despite fame and collaborating with Italian celebrities in his videos, Lame considers himself to be a “simple guy.” 

Lame is also well on his way to becoming a millionaire, which is super impressive for someone who was on the verge of poverty less than a year and a half ago. He doesn’t plan to splurge his money on Gucci shoes though – his goal is to buy his mother a house. (I’m not crying, you’re crying.)

Closing Thoughts

The Covid-19 pandemic left billions of people around the world in fear of facing poverty and homelessness as a result of the lockdowns. Khaby Lame saw this as an opportunity to grow his own brand, and he succeeded by posting funny and relatable content on social media. We all love rags to riches stories and someone who can make us laugh, making Khaby Lame one of our favorite social media stars.

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