Despite Khaby Lame dethroning Charli D’Amelio for the number one spot for TikTok followers, she still makes more bank than he does.
Lame made history when he accumulated 143 million followers on the social media site, which surpassed D’Amelio's 142 million followers, according to Mashable.
However, Forbes reports D’Amelio rakes in $17.5 million (AUD $25.2 million or £14.2 million) from TikTok alone, whereas Lame reportedly makes $5 million (AUD $7.2 million or £4 million).
Not to mention, D’Amelio and the rest of her family have launched a media empire with their Hulu reality show, clothing brands and even putting out the odd song here and there.
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With so many business ventures, D’Amelio’s net worth is currently sitting at $20 million (AUD $28,882,960 or £16,289,700), according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Despite this pay disparity, Lame has quickly proven he’s a force to be reckoned with in the content creator industry.
We have no doubt this is just the beginning for him.
Dexerto reports while appearing at VidCon, D’Amelio was asked about being taken over by Lame.
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The 18-year-old graciously answered: “I had number one for two years. I feel like it’s time for someone else to have that spot, and I’m proud of him.
“He’s a friend, and there’s no bad blood, I promise you guys.”
She added: “It feels great to know that someone else is getting that spot, someone that is sweet and a good person and loves what they do.
"I think that that’s the best feeling, and I wouldn’t want to hand it over to anyone else.”
In 2020, Lame was made redundant as a factory worker due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which led him to begin posting regularly on TikTok.
The Senegalese-born social media personality quickly cultivated a large following and became known for his hilarious videos that poked fun at ‘everyday’ life hacks.
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But incredibly, Lame does this without saying a word and relies on his physicality to bring out the comedy.
A year after launching his account, the 22-year-old had already amassed millions of followers, surpassing Italy’s most-followed TikTok creator, Gianluca Vacchi.
Earlier this year, Lame signed a multiyear partnership with Hugo Boss and was even featured in the #BeYourOwnBoss campaign.
As Lame’s following continues to grow, we’re sure we'll be seeing a lot more of him in the future as he climbs that influencer ladder.
Watch this space.
Charisa Bossinakis