Darren Jason Watkins Jr., recognized online as IShowSpeed or Speed is an American content creator and musician.
He gained prominence for his diverse livestreams, where he predominantly engages in gaming.
Early life
Darren Jason Watkins Jr., born on January 21, 2005, entered the YouTube scene in 2016, initially sharing gameplay videos sporadically. By December 2017, he transitioned to livestreaming and posting content featuring games like NBA 2K and Fortnite, initially attracting only two viewers on average. However, his subscriber count steadily increased, reaching milestones of 100,000 subscribers in April 2021, 1 million in June 2021, 10 million in July 2022, and 20 million in August 2023.
Career
Darren began streaming in 2019, gaining prominence in 2021 when clips of his intense behavior during livestreams, often directed at games, players, and his camera, went viral on TikTok, becoming memes. His outbursts led to bans from platforms like Twitch and games like Valorant. Kotaku referred to him as one of YouTube’s fastest-rising streamers. Watkins’ content featuring Talking Ben the Dog contributed significantly to the app’s renewed popularity. However, he faced controversies, including a Twitch ban for inappropriate behavior during an e-dating livestream. He also received bans from games like Valorant and faced backlash for various incidents, including a racially insensitive interaction during a FIFA World Cup livestream. Despite controversies, he won a Streamy Award and signed an exclusive streaming deal with Rumble. Additionally, Watkins made appearances in WWE events, including WrestleMania XL and an episode of Raw in April 2024.
Music
In August 2021, Watkins debuted his first single, “Dooty Booty,” on his YouTube channel, quickly gaining traction across various social media platforms like TikTok. Later that year, in November, he followed up with “Shake,” which sampled tracks from Fugees and Ray Charles, accompanied by a music video that amassed over 160 million views on YouTube. 
In June 2022, he released “Ronaldo (Sewey)” inspired by his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, followed by “World Cup” in November, released under Warner Records to celebrate the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
A surprise guest at the 2023 Rolling Loud festival in Portugal on July 7, 2023, Watkins performed hits like “Shake,” “World Cup,” and “Portuginies,” with support from American rapper Ski Mask the Slump God and producer DJ Scheme.
March 2024 marked the release of four new songs as part of Speed’s EP, “Trip 2 Brazil.”
Personal life
Darren faced challenges in getting his parents to understand his career path as a YouTuber, and even when he reached the milestone of 100k subscribers, his mother’s cold reaction left him upset. Although rumors swirled about his relationship with Ermony Renee, recent revelations from Darren himself indicate he’s currently single. In a recent video, he shared the painful experience of being betrayed by his girlfriend, who had an affair with someone else, leaving him heartbroken.
Net Worth
Estimated to be over 10 million dollars