Top 20 most influential Black celebrities on social media – 2023
A recent study by lifestyle brand That Sister has identified the ten most influential black celebrities on social media, based on their Instagram and Twitter followings and engagement rates.
The researchers analysed data from over 20 of the most popular black celebrities to create a combined social media influence score.
French footballer Kylian Mbappé emerged as the most influential black celebrity, scoring 93.18 out of 100. Mbappé, who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain, has a staggering 97.1 million Instagram followers and 11.7 million Twitter followers, with the highest Instagram engagement rate on the list at 12.09%.
Following Mbappé is Zendaya, the 26-year-old actor and singer with 166.8 million Instagram followers and 21.2 million Twitter followers, who ranks second on the list with a score of 85.95 out of 100. TikTok sensation Khaby Lame, the Senegalese-born Italian who went viral in 2020, takes the third spot with a score of 85.24 out of 100, with 79.7 million Instagram followers and 369,681 Twitter followers.
Also read: Top TikTok special effects make up artist Tinashe Mwaniki on how much she charges
Egyptian footballer Mohamed Salah ranks fourth on the list, with a score of 83.41 out of 100, followed by Rihanna with a score of 79.78 out of 100.
French footballer Paul Pogba, American rapper Cardi B, and Beyoncé take the sixth, seventh, and eighth spots, respectively, with Beyoncé having broken the record for the most Grammy award wins of all time.
Former US President Barack Obama ranks ninth on the list with a score of 71.96 out of 100, with the most Twitter followers on the list at 133.3 million, while Canadian-born rapper Drake takes the tenth spot with a score of 71.04 out of 100, with 130.8 million Instagram followers and 39.9 million Twitter followers.
Commenting on the data, a spokesperson from That Sister said, “In honour of Black History Month this February, this study highlights celebrities’ accomplishments and global reach within the Black community.
“It places a particular focus on social media, given its growing significance in today’s world and its unique capacity to amplify the cultural achievements of Black people, advocate for inclusion, and unite Black people in the US and the diaspora.”
Also read: Prophet Lovy Elias Logomba now yearning for a daughter
The list of the top 20 most influential black celebrities on social media is below:
| Rank | Celebrity Name | Twitter Followers | Twitter Engagement Rate (%) | Instagram Followers | Instagram Engagement Rate (%) | Social Media Influence Score / 100 |
| 1. | Kylian Mbappé | 11,763,424 | 2.43 | 97,167,191 | 12.09 | 93.18 |
| 2. | Zendaya | 21,153,991 | 0.62 | 166,729,695 | 5.22 | 85.95 |
| 3. | Khaby Lame | 369,681 | 3.82 | 79,726,417 | 2.95 | 85.24 |
| 4. | Mohamed Salah | 17,990,406 | 0.95 | 56,497,552 | 2.39 | 83.41 |
| 5. | Rihanna | 107,852,144 | 0.19 | 140,338,260 | 2.13 | 79.78 |
| 6. | Paul Pogba | 10,556,711 | 0.44 | 57,109,703 | 1.87 | 78.61 |
| 7. | Cardi B | 28,456,843 | 0.19 | 151,524,684 | 1.64 | 77.18 |
| 8. | Beyoncé | 15,668,243 | 0.21 | 294,674,135 | 0.99 | 75.86 |
| 9. | Barack Obama | 133,309,555 | 0.04 | 35,855,708 | 2.24 | 71.96 |
| 10. | Drake | 39,925,062 | 0.05 | 130,867,273 | 1.31 | 71.04 |
| 11. | Nicki Minaj | 27,772,721 | 0.08 | 201,791,229 | 0.35 | 68.43 |
| 12. | Lebron James | 1,001,854 | 0.10 | 144,560,464 | 0.66 | 66.74 |
| 13. | Michelle Obama | 22,254,182 | 0.08 | 52,685,134 | 0.30 | 65.89 |
| 14. | Lil Wayne | 35,081,642 | 0.03 | 16,630,609 | 1.17 | 65.70 |
| 15. | Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson | 17,051,091 | 0.04 | 362,273,459 | 0.25 | 64.42 |
| 16. | Chris Brown | 32,153,049 | 0.04 | 131,462,395 | 0.22 | 63.53 |
| 17. | Snoop Dogg | 21,017,480 | 0.05 | 79,139,488 | 0.14 | 61.66 |
| 18. | Oprah | 42,998,641 | 0.002 | 21,971,591 | 0.88 | 60.70 |
| 19. | Alicia Keys | 30,019,708 | 0.003 | 25,168,911 | 0.72 | 59.69 |
| 20. | Wiz Khalifa | 36,815,714 | 0.01 | 39,670,399 | 0.48 | 59.11 |
Also read: Drama alert? Bensoul’s baby mama confesses she thinks of him, despite the girlfriend!