Darren Watkins Jr., better known by his online alias IShowSpeed or simply Speed, is an American YouTuber, streamer, rapper and internet personality.
He was born on January 21, 2005, in Cincinnati, Ohio, and is known for his variety livestreams in which he primarily plays video games including Roblox, Fortnite and FIFA.
Watkins registered his channel “IShowSpeed” in 2017, primarily posting gaming content.
From 2021 to 2022, he gained substantial popularity due in part to the circulation of eye-catching clips from his streams.
IShowSpeed has a YouTube channel that has been active since 2016 and has over 18.1 million subscribers and 1.5 billion total views as of June 25, 2023.
He is also active on Twitch, where he has been streaming since 2018.
He is signed to Warner Records and has released several songs, including Speedin’ Flexin’ and Money Dance.
IShowSpeed has been involved in some controversies, including a crypto controversy in 2022 and bigoted comments that surfaced in 2022.
In July 2023, he was hospitalized and asked for prayers, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s teammate Rafael Leao sent his support to him amidst surgery news.
IShowSpeed net worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, IShowSpeed has an estimated net worth of $12 million.
IShowSpeed’s rise to fame
IShowSpeed became popular on the internet due to a combination of factors, including his unique personality, controversial behavior, and viral clips from his streams.
He gained substantial popularity from 2021 to 2022 due in part to the circulation of eye-catching clips from his live streams on social media platforms.
He has a “hot-headed” personality and antics that have attracted an audience of over 11 million subscribers on YouTube.
His controversies, including multiple suspensions on Twitch and a permanent ban from Valorant, are a key part of his appeal, which continues to grow as the days go on.
IShowSpeed’s road to success was propelled by viral clips and outbursts that propelled him from 100,000 to one million subscribers in less than two months.
He has managed to sustain this rapid rate of growth, going from one million to 11 million subscribers in just under a year and a half.
IShowSpeed’s most popular video, Shake, has over 130 million views, and he has released other songs that have reached over 15 million views.
He has also gained popularity on TikTok, where he has over 8 million followers and over 35 million likes on the app.
A recent survey claims that in terms of search popularity, IShowSpeed has appeared even before the likes of xQc and Kai Cenat.