Keith Lee named ‘Creator of the Year’ during the first-ever TikTok Awards in the United States

Keith Lee, “Love Island” star Jeremiah Brown, and Mariah Rose win big during the first-ever TikTok Awards based in the United States.

Keith Lee is officially top dog on TikTok.

The 29-year-old food influencer, who has ascended to new heights on the platform over the past year, was named TikTok’s Creator of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 18, during the first-ever TikTok Awards in the United States, held at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.

“I never in a million years thought I was going to be standing on this stage,” Lee said, visibly emotional as he accepted the honor, per People magazine.

“This means more to me than I can explain,” he continued, reflecting on how he grew up as a child. “TikTok provided me a platform to be able to talk about that.”

Lee also spoke about how the app helped amplify his larger mission. 

“TikTok provided me a platform to be able to show small businesses around the country,” he said, per Complex, underscoring how his candid food reviews have helped spotlight mom-and-pop restaurants nationwide.

He went on to acknowledge the personal weight of the moment, adding, “It’s hard to do something for myself, because I always put other people in front of me, but this is for me.”

Lee also thanked his wife, Ronni — who was in attendance — crediting her with encouraging him to begin posting food reviews on the platform.

In honor of Lee’s win, the evening’s host, LaLa Anthony, announced that “in the spirit of our new Creator of the Year, Keith Lee,” TikTok would donate $50,000 to Feeding America.

The event, themed “New Era, New Icons,” marked the inaugural U.S. edition of the TikTok Awards, following previous ceremonies held earlier this year in Australia and last year across 21 countries, including the United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico, and Germany. Last night’s show was streaming live on TikTok and Tubi. 

Other major Black winners of the night included “Love Island USA” S7 star Jeremiah Brown, who took home Rising Star after expanding his brand on TikTok since leaving the villa, including building a strong following through popular book-related content and community-driven posts.

Mariah Rose was named MVP of the Year for her sharp, engaging sports commentary, breaking down major moments across the NFL and NBA in a way that has made her a standout voice on the platform.

The live U.S. show was also headlined by a performance from Ciara, whose music and choreography have inspired several recent trends and viral dance challenges on the platform.