Nairobi witnessed a wave of fan excitement on Sunday, January 11, as American internet personality and streamer Darren Jason Watkins Jr., better known as IShowSpeed, brought the city to a standstill.
Streaming live throughout the day, Speed’s broadcast peaked at over eight million viewers worldwide, gaining more than 360,000 new subscribers.
Currently touring Africa, IShowSpeed required a police escort and heightened security as massive crowds followed his every move.
President William Ruto welcomed the streamer, extending a warm reception and encouraging Speed to feel at home during his stay.
“Jambo, IShowSpeed, welcome to Kenya, karibu Kenya. Kenya is not just another country; Kenya is a pulse, a feeling. Kenya is home. This is magical Kenya, the origin of wonders,” he said in a video.
Speed’s Nairobi itinerary reflected both his playful personality and his curiosity about Kenyan life.
One of his first stops was Carnivore Restaurant in Lang’ata, where he sampled a variety of local dishes and interacted with excited fans.
His tour continued with an adrenaline-filled bus ride to the Mukuru Kwa Njenga affordable housing project, where he met Gen Z Goliath and joined a basketball session.
At Upper Hill School, the streamer shifted focus to sports, linking up with Olympic javelin champion Julius Yego for a throwing session before taking part in a rugby match with the school team.
He later tried his hand at preparing traditional Kenyan foods, including ugali and chapati.
The American content creator also explored Nairobi’s iconic landmarks, visiting Giraffe Centre, Nairobi National Park and Uhuru Park, where he rode a camel.
At Kenyatta Market, he enjoyed nyama choma and was presented with portraits by local artists.
His city tour also included a chauffeured drive by rally driver Ishmael Azeli to the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, before the day concluded with a scenic helicopter ride offering aerial views of the city.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano later confirmed that the streamer would proceed to the Maasai Mara on Monday, January 12, as part of his Kenyan tour.
Who is IShowSpeed?
Beyond the spectacle, Speed’s Nairobi appearance has prompted many to ask who the young man behind the viral moments really is.
Born on January 21, 2005, in Cincinnati, Ohio, he is known for his high-energy, chaotic live streams filled with gaming outbursts, barking antics, and spontaneous IRL adventures.
Speed created his YouTube channel in 2016, initially uploading NBA 2K and Fortnite gameplay that attracted modest attention.
His breakthrough came in 2021 when exaggerated reactions and rage-filled clips went viral, turning him into a meme phenomenon and rapidly accelerating his subscriber growth to one million by mid-2021, despite facing Twitch bans along the way.
His rise accelerated further as he leaned into football-related content, particularly his outspoken fandom of Cristiano Ronaldo, which helped position him as one of YouTube’s fastest-rising stars from 2022 onward.
Global tours have since become a defining feature of his brand, including a 2024 Southeast Asia trip that pushed his subscriber count beyond 30 million and drew over a million concurrent viewers during a stream in Indonesia.
In recent years, IShowSpeed has expanded beyond streaming alone. He served as president of the U.S. Baller League in late 2024 and launched the Speed Goes Pro series in 2025, training with elite athletes such as Tom Brady and Kevin Durant.
His growing influence has earned industry recognition, with Rolling Stone naming him the Most Influential Creator in 2025 and Complex ranking him the top streamer of 2024.
