By now, you must have heard murmurings of a certain “IShowSpeed” coming to Singapore. Regardless of whether you’re familiar with his content or not, make no mistake – this is a big deal.
Known for his loud personality and over-the-top reactions, the 19-year-old American streamer is objectively one of the most popular online figures currently – boasting 31 million subscribers on YouTube and 343,000 followers on Twitch.
And these numbers translate to real life.
IShowSpeed or Speed, as he’s more commonly called, is currently touring Southeast Asia. This tour has seen throngs of fans following his every move and, in some instances, causing chaos due to their sheer size.
So far, Speed has visited Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia. Although this has yet to be confirmed, it is widely believed that Singapore will be Speed’s next stop – just in time for the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.
Given the huge hype surrounding his impending arrival, here’s the lowdown on IShowSpeed.
1. WHO IS ISHOWSPEED?
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Speed’s real name is Darren Jason Watkins Jr. He started his YouTube channel in 2016 and uploaded gameplay videos of NBA2K and Fortnite. In an interview with British lifestyle magazine Dazed, Speed revealed that his moniker came from a childhood nickname.
“They used to call me Speedy because I was fast,” he said.
2. HOW DID ISHOWSPEED GET FAMOUS?
Like many small channels, Speed had very few viewers in his early days. However, clips of his outbursts and dramatic behaviour during his gaming livestreams started making their way to TikTok in early 2021 and his popularity grew.
According to fans, his content was “entertaining and funny”.
