Born Muhammad Qasim on February 19, 1989, Instagram star Cemo Basen’s story is truly one worth telling. Raised on the poverty line, Cemo shared that he was still fortunate to be surrounded by good teachers who helped him study and ignited his passion for creating something new. Today, he is thriving as a model, influencer, and aspiring Hollywood actor, inspiring people from various backgrounds to do what they love to do in life, just as he is doing with his.
When Cemo first migrated to the United States, he encountered many challenges, especially financial ones. He was homeless for months, but the lack of comfort and a roof over his head did not stop him from dreaming. He also remembered how even some of his family and friends ridiculed his dreams to become an actor, but they only motivated him to work harder. Finally, two years later, after making every day count, he found a path that allows him to fully express himself while simultaneously inspiring people to live their best lives.
“I was not able to eat twice in a day until the age of 15. But always, in the back of my mind, there was a voice that someday life would be changed. I moved to America with a dream of becoming an actor. My biggest role model is Johnny Depp. I started making videos on Instagram but never thought that I would become an influencer,” shared Cemo. Raised in the slums in Pakistan, Cemo recalls how watching Johnny Depp on Pirates of the Caribbean for the first time ignited a fire in him to pursue an acting career. “Today, I have a family of two million followers on Instagram and have been on multiple news sites. Life is crazy. I never stopped dreaming,” he added.
Cemo began generating a buzz when he started a series called Raising an Influencer, streamed on Fox5dc. He was also a contestant on Mr. DC 2021. Today, he is captivating audiences with his unique content on Instagram and unrivaled talent for creating original reels. The 33-year-old also goes beyond the realm of social media and has entered the world of Fashion and was recently seen attending the American Veteran’s Ball as a guest.
“I didn’t know about social media before. I went to college, and I had an Instagram, but I just post regular photos. Then COVID hits, and all of a sudden, I found myself posting videos. I feel blessed every day, having so many people love me,” Cemo said. “When I am not in my zone making videos, I am just an awkward kid,” he remarked.
With fame comes the pressure of constantly putting out fresh content for his followers, but the influencer shared that he uses pressure to improve himself. In an interview, he emphasized that being under the limelight of fame feels like a blessing as much as it is arduous. Instead of focusing on the pressure of growing his following, Cemo is more conscious of how his actions pave the way for the next generation of content creators and people like himself who want to pull themselves out of poverty.
Even with his massive success in the online community, Cemo never lost sight of his dream of becoming a Hollywood actor. He knows he has a long way to go, but seeing how he turned his life around, from an impoverished kid to now one of the biggest influencers on Instagram, Cemo believes anything is possible.
