Khaby Lame has passed Charli D’Amelio to become TikTok’s most-followed creator

Say hello to TikTok’s new top creator. If he doesn’t say hi back, don’t worry — not speaking is kinda his thing.

I’m talking, of course, about Khaby Lame, the Senegal-born, Italy-based star known for his mute reactions to viral videos. Lame has emerged as one of the biggest creators on social media, and now he has the numbers to prove it. He has passed Charli D’Amelio to become TikTok’s most-followed account.

Lame now has 143 million followers to go along with the 2.3 billion likes his videos have registered. That puts his follower count just ahead of the younger D’Amelio sister, who reaches 142.3 million fans on her account. It’s worth noting that Charli is far ahead of Khaby when it comes to likes, as she’s racked up more than 11 billion of them over the course of her TikTok career.

How does Charli D’Amelio feel about being eclipsed by her Senegalese-Italian counterpart? She addressed that during an appearance she made on a VidCon panel hosted by her brand partner Lightricks. “I had number one for two years. 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,” D’Amelio said. “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.”

True to form, Lame hasn’t offered a public comment on the milestone he just achieved. That said, he did recently post a TikTok video in which he dressed in a robe and crown. Perhaps he was subtlely identifying himself as the king of TikTok.

@khaby.lame If @50 Cent had to do a casting in the 19th century. 🤣 #learnfromkhaby #learnontiktok @tiktok @tiktokcreators ♬ sonido original – 0riginal_G7

Lame’s videos include straightforward reactions to viral videos and original sketches like the one embedded above. No matter which format he employs, he stays true to the statement that appears on his TikTok profile: “Se vuoi ridere sei nel posto giusto.” If you want to laugh, you’re in the right place.

Though Lame has built his brand on comedy, his recent ventures have allowed him to show off other aspects of his personality. He has expressed his interest in fashion by walking at Milan Fashion Week and striking a deal with Hugo Boss. Recently, he was part of the jury for TikTok’s short film contest at the Cannes Film Festival.

Will any other TikTok account be able to catch the platform’s silent phenom? At her VidCon appearance, Charli D’Amelio noted that she has about 2,400 unposted videos in her TikTok drafts. Perhaps if she lets all those ideas loose, she can retake the follower lead.