Chinese-Jamaican ‘Ghetto Kirk’ racking up views on TikTok

For Jia Zhang, content creation has always been a dream of his. While stacking the shelves of his wholesale in downtown Kingston, Zhang daydreamed for 10 years about the content he could create for online consumption.

However, it wasn't until one day when boredom struck that the 33-year-old Chinese immigrant decided to take the leap with a TikTok video.

"I posted my first video around 3 p.m., check back on the video at 10 p.m. I was shocked and delighted when I saw 61,000 views. I was just bored at work and decided 'Okay, let me give this TikTok thing a try' and then bam!" he told THE STAR. "Honestly, I expected the video to garner hundreds or thousands of views. Nothing close to 10,000 views." The video now has more than 150,000 views. It showed Zhang sharing some of the frustrations of running a wholesale in Jamaica. While the concept was not new, it was Zhang's heavy Jamaican accent that had viewers flocking to his page. He said that this is commonplace for him.

"Frequently at work, some of my customers do commend me for speaking with eloquence, either for my English or Patois," he said. Though sometimes a bit pervasive, Zhang said he remains grateful rather than annoyed by the compliments. "I simply reply thank you," he said.

Zhang has been living in Jamaica since he was three years old. Since his initial video, he has posted eight other videos on TikTok under his alter ego, 'Ghetto Kirk'.

"I have always wanted to create content though and 'Ghetto Kirk' has been an idea for a very long time, ever since I worked in downtown maybe about 10 years ago. I just didn't have the time to execute on it until recently," he said.

Regardless of the comments that may call into question Zhang's authenticity, he said that he is a Jamaican.

"Yes I am Jamaican, by nationality and partly by culture, since I grew up here," he stated. "Jamaica is a diverse country with many races and cultures mixed in. I'm a good example of that as a multicultural person. Having traditional Chinese parents instill Chinese values and also integrating myself in Jamaican society, I understand both cultures. It doesn't make me any less Jamaican than someone who grew up being exposed to only one culture. In fact, I think it enriches my experience of life."

While Zhang continues to embody the national motto 'Out of many, one people' through his videos, he plans to take a step into acting through online skits.

"I plan to test my limits when it comes to acting I guess. I have some ideas in my head. I just need to write and shoot them. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?" he said.