IShowSpeed

Darren Jason Watkins Jr.

Darren Jason Watkins Jr., known as IShowSpeed or Speed, is an American livestreamer and YouTube creator from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is known for gaming and variety content as well as large-scale travel broadcasts streamed for international online audiences.

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About IShowSpeed

Profile information current to 2026-08-22.

Livestreamer, YouTube creator · 1 affiliation

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Also known as: Speed
Known for: Gaming livestreaming; Variety and in-real-life livestreaming; International travel livestreaming; Online music releases

Livestreamer
YouTube creator

At a glance

IShowSpeed's work spans gaming, variety and in-real-life livestreaming.
His travel broadcasts have included tours across the United States and multiple countries in Africa.
He won Streamer of the Year at the 2024 Streamer Awards and was named to the 2025 TIME100 Creators list.
He released the song "World Cup" through Warner Records in November 2022.

Identity and background

IShowSpeed is the public name used by Darren Jason Watkins Jr., who is also commonly called Speed. TIME describes him as a Cincinnati native, while The Washington Post identifies him as being from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Streaming career

Watkins is known for gaming and variety livestreams, with his work expanding into in-real-life broadcasts built around travel and public interaction. Reporting on his international streams has documented the large audiences and public attention surrounding these appearances.

Large-scale travel broadcasts

In 2025, Watkins undertook "Speed Does America," which CBS News described as a 35-day continuous livestreaming project planned to visit 25 states. In January 2026, the Associated Press reported that he completed the final leg of a 28-day YouTube tour covering 20 African countries.

Recognition and music

Watkins won Streamer of the Year at the 2024 Streamer Awards and was included in the 2025 TIME100 Creators list. His work also includes music releases: Warner Records distribution metadata for the November 2022 song "World Cup" credits Darren Watkins Jr. as a writer.

Affiliations

IShowSpeed YouTube channel Creator present

Timeline

2022-11 Released the song "World Cup" through Warner Records under an exclusive license from Ishowspeed, LLC. Distribution metadata credits Darren Watkins Jr. as a writer.
2024 Won Streamer of the Year at the 2024 Streamer Awards.
2025 Named to TIME's 2025 TIME100 Creators list.
2025-08 Undertook the "Speed Does America" project, described by CBS News as a 35-day, continuously livestreamed tour planned to visit 25 U.S. states.
2026-01 Completed the final leg of a 28-day, 20-country African tour livestreamed on YouTube, according to Associated Press reporting.

Additional verified details

Current context

The Associated Press reported that IShowSpeed had more than 50 million YouTube subscribers, 45 million Instagram followers and 47 million TikTok followers. Audience counts change continuously and represent a contemporaneous media observation rather than an August 22, 2026 total.

Biographical facts

Watkins is associated with Cincinnati, Ohio; TIME describes him as a Cincinnati native, and The Washington Post describes him as being from Cincinnati.