Chinese man makes $12,000 in 10 days by donning blackface as ‘Kobe Bryant’
By Bryan Ke
A Chinese content creator has gained rapid fame and earned tens of thousands of dollars in a matter of days by impersonating late Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant while wearing blackface.
Key points:
- Ma Jinghui, a 21-year-old content creator from Yunnan province, grew his fanbase on Douyin from a few thousands to 594,000 by impersonating Bryant, who died in 2020 in a helicopter crash.
- Ma, who proclaimed himself the “Chinese version of Kobe Bryant,” earned around 80,000 yuan ($12,000) in just 10 days of livestreaming. He regularly attracts around 100,000 viewers to his broadcasts.
The details:
- Ma began his content creation career as a video game streamer and by sharing his basketball videos. He later altered his appearance after a social media user noticed his resemblance to the late NBA superstar.
- He followed the instructions of his followers by shaving his head, buying Bryant’s iconic No. 24 Lakers jersey and intentionally putting on blackface. He is also learning English.
- Using his newfound fame, Ma hopes to earn more money so he can buy his father a car and his sister a new phone. Ma said he is aiming to reach 1 million followers online.
- In one video, Ma can be seen shooting some hoops while “See You Again” by Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth plays in the background.
- Bryant died at the age of 41 in a helicopter crash on a hillside in Calabasas, California, on Jan. 26, 2020. His 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was also among the deceased. He is still one of China’s most popular athletes, with over 10 million Weibo followers.
- Another Chinese content creator made headlines in May 2023 after her blackface tribute video to the late basketball star resurfaced.
Reactions:
- Some Douyin users were shocked by Ma’s sudden fame and his earnings, with one user commenting in one of his video posts, “The man earned in one night what others make in a month.”
- Another user said they became emotional after seeing Ma’s video, commenting, “Why does it make me want to cry after watching?”
- Meanwhile, one Douyin user from his other post criticized his body frame, writing, “Go to the gym and train some muscles.”
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