Darren Watkins is a popular social media personality and YouTube star from the United States. His YouTube channel, IShowSpeed, is where he posts video game content, particularly about the popular basketball sports simulation video game series NBA 2K. In addition to posting vlogs and short comedy videos, he has a channel with close to 3 million subscribers. He is well-known as a Twitch streamer with the username IshowSpeed. Over 950k followers on his @showspeed Instagram account make Darren Watkins a well-known Instagram icon. He is also active on Twitter as Speed (@IShowSpeed) and has a following of approximately 163k. Asia Banyaga, an Instagram star, and him have worked together on Youtube.
| Real Name/Full Name | Darren Jason Watkins Jr |
| Date Of Birth | 21 January 2005 |
| Age | 20 years old |
| Birthplace | Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. |
| Nationality | American. |
| Religion | Christianity. |
| Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
| Height | 5 feet 9 inch |
| Weight | 60 kg |
| Material Status | Not Married |
| Siblings | Diamonté Watkins. |
| Profession | YouTuber, Comedian, and Social Media Personality. |
| Net worth | $10 Million to $12 Million. |
Biography
IShowSpeed was founded by Darren Jason Watkins Jr. in Cincinnati, Ohio on January 21, 2005. While his mother is Tiffany E. Graves (formerly Watkins), his father, Darren Watkins Sr., has made occasional appearances in his content. Although Diamonté Watkins, his younger sister, has appeared on his channel, Speed prefers to keep family details private.
Speed went to Walnut Hills High School, but decided to pursue a career in streaming and content creation after leaving. The raw, energetic persona that has made him a prominent figure online can be credited to his early involvement in gaming, which he shared on YouTube at a young age.
Personal Life
IShowSpeed, who is referred to as Darren Watkins Jr., does not have a spouse. There have been no public records or credible reports suggesting he has ever been married, though he did participate in a faux marriage for entertainment during a visit to India in 2023.
Aaliyah Wasko was romantically linked to him in early 2023, but it was short-lived and later clarified that it wasn’t official. There were rumors that he had a relationship with Ava Barbie, who is a transgender TikTok star and singer, but it was never confirmed.
Career
Ishowspeed is well-known for his YouTube and Twitch streams. His YouTube channel was unveiled on March 22, 2016. His channel, which he posts gaming videos, has already attracted over 8 million subscribers. His hobbies include playing NBA 2k gameplays, WWE 2k, and Fortnite. His commentary and humorous facial expressions made him a household name. His love for Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese footballer, has always been expressed.
His friend inspired him to upload content on YouTube about his passions. During the pandemic, Darren had the opportunity to begin his YouTube journey. By uploading videos related to NBA 2K20 and 2K21 in April 2020, he was able to gain a significant amount of viewership. In order to stay in the YouTube business, he engaged in live streams and played Fortnite, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and other games. As of mid-2020, Darren had over 100k subscribers and as time progressed, he became a internet sensation.
In an attempt to gain more attention, Darren released his album with the title ‘What Else IS ShowSpeed’. His song Shake caused controversy due to its inappropriate lyrics. When he collaborated with Adin on a live stream, Darren faced another controversy. Ash Kaash was the target of his sexist remarks during the live stream. As a result, he was prohibited from using Twitch due to breaking rules and policies.
The lighting of a Pikachu fireworks in his bedroom during July 2022 caused a stir for Watkins. In August, he asked viewers to answer a quiz on ‘United States and Global Economics’, but they tipped him off with inaccurate answers, leading to a 0/10 score. During the September Sidemen Charity Football Match, he showed his frustration towards the referee and threw a pitch invader’s Messi jersey into the air.
His past offensive comments caused Sky Sports to discontinue his coverage in November 2022. Despite this, Watkins was awarded the Streamy Award in December and embarked on a journey to football stadiums in November and December 2022, with the goal of watching Cristiano Ronaldo live. His performance at the 2023 Rolling Loud festival in Portugal was a surprise to audiences after he signed an exclusive streaming deal with Rumble in May 2023. In October 2023, Watkins had the opportunity to meet Daler Mehndi during his visit to India.
Adin Ross and Kai Cenat, along with other creators, have worked with Speed to expand his audience and solidify his place in streaming culture. His versatility can be seen by his involvement in live events, charity streams, and music video appearances.
Speed’s presence is strong on platforms such as Twitch, TikTok, and Instagram, even though it was initially focused on YouTube. In 2025, his influence in the digital world will be undeniable, with millions of followers demonstrating how raw, authentic content can have a profound effect on audiences.
Net Worth
The net worth of IShowSpeed, which is actually Darren Watkins Jr., is estimated to be between $10 million and $12 million. His wealth is mainly derived from his YouTube channel, which has collected millions of subscribers due to his gaming content, live streams, and collaborations with other creators. Other sources of income include brand partnerships, sponsorships, merchandise sales, and his involvement in music.
Social Media
| Social Media | Username | Followers/Subscribers |
| @IShowSpeed | 29.4 | |
YouTube | @IShowSpeed @Live Speedy @Speedy Boykins | 36.4M 13.3M 2.2M |
| TiKTok | @ishowspeed | 40.9M |
| X (Twitter) | @ishowspeedsui | 3.4M |
