IShowSpeed

Early life Darren Jason Watkins Jr. was born on January 21, 2005, in Cincinnati, Ohio. His father, Darren Watkins Sr., as well as two younger siblings, including a half-brother named Dian (also known as Jamal), also broadcast on YouTube. Through his paternal lineage, he is the great-grandson of Harold Watkins, who became the first African-American fire chief of the Detroit Fire Department in 1988. His mother, Tiffany Elizabeth Graves, was the primary caregiver for Watkins during his early years, following her divorce from his father when Watkins was young.

Watkins was raised in the Bond Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati. He attended Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy for elementary school and subsequently enrolled at Purcell Marian High School. During his childhood, Watkins acquired the nickname "Speedy" due to his athleticism and habit of running from dogs. He began consistent livestreaming in December 2017, broadcasting games such as NBA 2K and Fortnite. His early streams averaged a low viewership; by 2020, he averaged approximately ten concurrent viewers per broadcast. Ross disconnected Watkins from the call; however, Watkins rejoined and directed further aggressive remarks at Kash. Twitch subsequently banned Watkins from the platform for "sexual coercion or intimidation".

On December 29, 2021, during a four-hour-and-23-minute livestream titled "EARLY STREAM!", Watkins participated in a Fortnite match that spawned a viral internet meme. During the game, a teammate with the username "Acey Daddy" requested that Watkins help him win, stating, "Please, Speed, I need this! My mom is kind of homeless." Watkins responded visibly suppressing laughter while a third player, "Pew is daddy", scolded him for his reaction. This resulted in one of the game's producers, Sara Dadafshar, permanently banning Watkins from Valorant and all other Riot Games titles. YouTube's global head of gaming creators, Lester Chen, replied to the clip, stating he was "on it." He reached 10 million subscribers on YouTube later that month. In late July 2022, Watkins received a community guidelines strike and a one-week ban on YouTube after livestreaming a sexual Minecraft mod named "Jenny's Mod" to 96,000 live viewers. The broadcast displayed explicit sexual activity involving his in-game character. Watkins initially censored the screen but later accidentally revealed the content.

On August 8, 2022, Watkins was swatted while livestreaming on YouTube. Officers handcuffed him, and his cameraman was forced to end the broadcast. He later claimed that he had been jailed and that Adin Ross had posted his bail, allowing him to return to streaming on August 11. In September 2022, Watkins participated in the Sidemen Charity Match. During the match, he became frustrated at referee Mark Clattenburg for disallowing a goal due to offside; Watkins whipped Clattenburg with the jersey he had removed during his celebration, receiving a yellow card.

In November 2022, Sky Sports announced that they would cease featuring Watkins on their platforms after past misogynistic and derogatory comments resurfaced. The broadcaster removed all content featuring him from their social media channels and website. On November 16, Watkins faced criticism for allegedly promoting a cryptocurrency scam known as a "pump and dump scheme" during a livestream for The Paradox Metaverse, an open-world game. The following day, he apologized, stating: "I made a mistake that I wish I never did but I'm not a scammer."

In December 2022, Watkins won the "Breakout Streamer" award at the 12th Streamy Awards. That same month, during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he generated controversy for his behavior toward a Chinese spectator in Qatar. During a livestream, he approached a man wearing an Argentina jersey; when the man indicated he did not speak English, Watkins repeatedly said "Konnichiwa" and uttered sounds reminiscent of Cantonese and Mandarin Chinese. Following backlash, he uploaded an apology video to Twitter.

Watkins expanded his platform in May 2023 by announcing an exclusive streaming deal with the platform Rumble in collaboration with Kai Cenat. On June 17, 2023, he met Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo in Lisbon following Portugal's match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

By August 2023, Watkins surpassed 20 million subscribers on YouTube. On August 16, he accidentally exposed himself to a live audience of 25,000 viewers while playing Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach after being startled by a jump scare. The incident became a trending topic on social media platforms, leading to some people calling him "IShowMeat". YouTube did not ban Watkins for the incident. In December 2023, Watkins participated in a charity boxing sparring session with KSI, raising funds for the Anthony Walker Foundation.

2024–present: Travel content, streamer of the year and continued growth

On February 23, 2024, Watkins participated in "Match for Hope 2024", a soccer charity match hosted in Ahmad bin Ali Stadium, Qatar, where he played for Team Chunkz. A clip of him went viral in which he slide tackled Brazilian former soccer player Kaká.

On May 29, 2024, Watkins attended the annual Cooper's Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake in Gloucestershire, England, during which he suffered a leg injury, which he claimed required hospitalization. In June and July 2024, during the UEFA Euro 2024, Watkins toured Europe, reaching 25 million subscribers on June 2. On July 3, Watkins visited Norway, where he streamed in a souvenir store. While interacting with a large gathering of fans from a second story window, he injured his ankle. Upon being escorted out by a bodyguard, Watkins was attacked by the crowd, and would be hospitalized. Watkins's tour of Europe received over 2.5 billion views across multiple social media platforms.

On August 3, 2024, Watkins performed a live-streamed stunt where he jumped over two speeding supercars in Miami. The stream was then deleted on August 5 due to violating YouTube's Terms of Service. While on tour in Southeast Asia, he surpassed 30 million subscribers and accumulated a total of 110 million views for the duration of the trip. One of Watkins's livestreams, titled "IRL Stream in Indonesia", marked the first time an English-speaking streamer had received one million concurrent viewers in a livestream. On November 22, Watkins began his tour of Australia and New Zealand. On November 26, it was announced that Watkins would become the president of the U.S. version of Baller League, a six-a-side soccer league. Later that month, he was ranked first by Complex Networks in its list of "The 25 Best Streamers Right Now".

In December 2024, Watkins was nominated for and won the "Get Off Your A** Award (Best IRL Streamer)", "Best International Streamer", and "Streamer of the Year" awards of the 2024 Streamer Awards. Later that month he won the "Most Influential Soccer Creator" award of the Goal Champions Awards. On January 28, during his tour in Peru, he was declared an honorary mayor of Lima for an hour by Rafael López Aliaga, the city's mayor, who also declared him an "ambassador of Lima".

Later on February 14, 2025, Watkins participated in "Match for Hope 2025", a soccer charity event hosted in Stadium 974, Qatar, as a co-captain for Team Chunkz & IShowSpeed, facing off against team AboFlah & KSI. The match ended with team AboFlah & KSI's 6–5 victory over team Chunkz & IShowSpeed. The event managed to raise more than $10.7 million for charity. Watkins scored his first charity match goal in the Sidemen Charity Match at the Wembley Stadium in March 2025. On March 5, 2025, Watkins was featured on CBS Sports Golazo's coverage of the UEFA Champions League. Later on March 8, 2025, Watkins participated in the 2025 Sidemen Charity Match, held at Wembley Stadium in London, United Kingdom. Serving as both captain and player for the YouTube Allstars team, he scored his first goal in the charity match series in the 56th minute, having failed to score in his previous two appearances. Watkins later secured victory for the YouTube Allstars by converting the decisive penalty in a shoot-out.

On March 18, 2025, Watkins announced that he would be doing a tour in mainland China and Mongolia. During his tour, Chinese state media and Chinese netizens praised Watkins for "promoting positive relations between China and the United States".

On May 5, 2025, Watkins was swatted at a KFC store during a Cinco de Mayo IRL livestream.

On July 5, 2025, Watkins announced a second tour to Europe, he also began streaming on Twitch for the first time in four years. On July 9, Watkins visited Serbia, and there he met Baka Prase, who gave him a €30,000 Rolex as a gift. In Latvia, Watkins's behavior on the base of the Freedom Monument and the payment of 30,000 euros from the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia towards Watkins's travel expenses drew criticism from the Latvian public. Later on July 22, Watkins participated in the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, participating alongside USMNT and Orlando City player Alex Freeman in the shooting and passing challenges, although his score was not counted towards the overall result. Watkins also presented Houston Dynamo 2 goalkeeper Pedro Cruz with the winner's belt after his victory in the Goalie Wars event.

On August 28, 2025, Watkins began the "Speed Does America" tour, a 35-day, 24/7 livestreaming trip across the United States, during which he streamed continuously on both YouTube and Twitch while visiting 25 states. That same month, Rolling Stone named him its "Most Influential Creator of 2025".

The tour concluded at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where Watkins hosted the premiere of his five-part YouTube series Speed Goes Pro. A number of celebrities attended the event, including Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian, Suni Lee, DDG, and Randy Orton. Produced by OBB Pictures and sponsored by Dick's Sporting Goods, the series documents Watkins as he attempts to reach the skill level of professional athletes in various sports by training with professional athletes such as Tom Brady, Suni Lee, Nastia Liukin, Joey Chestnut, and Kevin Durant.

Two purchasable outfits based on Watkins's likeness were added to Fortnite Battle Royale on December 25, 2025.

On December 29, 2025, Watkins began the "Speed Does Africa" tour, where he livestreamed visiting 20 African countries in 28 days. During his tour of Egypt, Watkins became the first content creator to stream inside the Great Pyramid of Giza. While touring in Nigeria, he celebrated his 21st birthday on January 21, 2026, while his YouTube channel surpassed 50 million subscribers that same day becoming the first black creator to reach the milestone. After his visit to Ghana, it was announced that he had been granted Ghanaian citizenship.

In February 2026, Doritos released a limited-edition snack in collaboration with Watkins as part of the brand's "Flavor Swap" initiative. The product featured the "Cheddar & Sour Cream" flavor of Ruffles on a traditional Doritos chip.

On March 21, 2026, Watkins played in the inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Los Angeles against current and former NFL players.

On April 25, 2026, Watkins began his Caribbean Tour, where he livestreamed visiting 15 Caribbean countries. On May 7, 2026, Watkins arrived in Jamaica, where he was welcomed at the Norman Manley International Airport by Junkanoo dancers. Prior to reaching Jamaica, the tour included stops in Trinidad and Tobago, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and others.

In June 2026, Watkins started his "World Cup 2026 Tour", a series of livestreams covering various locations across the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He also partnered with FIFA, Fox Sports, and YouTube to host live simulcasts of select matches for U.S. viewers, which were broadcast via the Fox One YouTube channel. Additionally, Watkins became a playable character in FIFA Heroes and appears on the game's cover. On July 3, FIFA announced an investigation after allegations of racist abuse of him by an Argentinian supporter during round 32 of Argentina's 3–2 win over Cabo Verde. A later statement read, “FIFA strongly condemns racism, hate and discrimination in all forms.”

Other ventures

Music career

In August 2021, Watkins released his first single, "Dooty Booty", on his YouTube channel. Following its upload, the song quickly became popular on YouTube and other social media sites, such as TikTok. In November, Watkins released a single titled "Shake", which sampled both "Ready or Not" by the Fugees and "Hit The Road Jack" by Ray Charles. The song's accompanying music video received over 211 million views on YouTube.

In June 2022, he released a song called "Ronaldo (Sewey)", following his newfound admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo. In November 2022, he released a single titled "World Cup" under Warner Records in honor of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. On July 7, 2023, Watkins was a surprise guest at the 2023 Rolling Loud festival in Portugal and performed "Shake", "World Cup" and "Portuginies" with the support of American rapper Ski Mask the Slump God and producer DJ Scheme.

In March 2024, Watkins released his first extended play, Trip 2 Brazil.

In June 2026, his song "World Cup (Champions)" was included in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Album. Watkins later performed the song at the closing ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final.

Professional wrestling In April 2024, Watkins accompanied Logan Paul during his United States Championship defense on night 2 of WWE's event WrestleMania XL. Initially disguised as a Prime mascot, he unmasked at ringside during the match before Randy Orton put him through one of the broadcast tables with an RKO. Later that month, Watkins announced the second-round picks for the Raw brand during the 2024 WWE Draft on Monday Night Raw. He entered the 2025 men's Royal Rumble match, where he and Bron Breakker eliminated Otis, but was speared by Breakker and eliminated shortly after. In a November episode of his web series Speed Goes Pro, Watkins was documented training with various WWE wrestlers at the Performance Center.

In March and April 2026, he made several appearances on Raw, becoming involved in an on-screen storyline where he aligned with The Vision (Logan Paul and Austin Theory) against The Usos and LA Knight, culminating in a six-man tag team match at WrestleMania 42, where his team lost. Following the match, Paul attacked Watkins, after which Watkins performed a top-rope splash onto Paul through a broadcast table with assistance from Knight and The Usos.

Personal beliefs Watkins is a supporter of Palestine, has expressed opposition to Israel, and regularly shouts "Free Palestine!" on his livestreams. In June 2024, he donated $50,000 to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund.

Discography Extended plays + List of EPs, with selected detailsTitleEP detailsTrip 2 BrazilReleased: March 24, 2024 Label: Warner Records Format: Digital download, streamingSpeed GangReleased: August 1, 2025 Label: Warner Records Format: Digital download, streaming

Singles + List of singles, with selected chart positions Title YearPeak chart positionsCertifications Album IRE NLDTip NZHot SWEHeat. UK "Lying" 2021 — — — — — "Dooty Booty" — — — — — "One More Chance" — — — — — "NFL Freestyle" — — — — — "Shake" — — — — — "How I Feel" — — — — — "I Dont Like You" — — — — — "One Piece" — — — — — "Shake Pt.2" 2022 — — — — — "F.U.C." — — — — — "God Is Good" 37 1 29 6 52 RIAA: Gold ZPAV: Gold "Dogs" 2023 — — — — — "Portuginies" — — — — — "Come My Way" — — — — — "Monkey" 2024 — — — — —Trip 2 Brazil "Get Down" — — — — — "Higher" 2025 — — — — —Speed Gang "Fight to Win" — — — — — "Bailar" — — — — — "Big Girls" — — — — — "Headshot / Gas in the Truck" — — — — — "I Know" — — — — —"World Cup (Champions)" 2026 — 10 33 — —FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Album