• Dreams of being an NBA player
  • Nearly set his home on fire
  • Has the rights to stream anime series
IShowSpeed has 36 million subscribers to his YouTube channel
IShowSpeed has 36 million subscribers to his YouTube channel Credit: Imago

IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr., is a 20-year-old American Youtuber who shot to fame for his energetic live-streams.

Read more: Who is YouTuber and viral sensation IShowSpeed?

Since 2016, he has built an impressive following of 36 million subscribers on YouTube, where he shares reaction videos, live streams from sporting events he attends, and unexpected crossover content – most recently his participation in WWE’s 2025 Royal Rumble.

Read more: What is YouTuber IShowSpeed’s net worth?

He is known for his funny, chaotic, and often controversial behaviour, and is a huge fan of soccer megastar Cristiano Ronaldo. But this is all common knowledge, so here’s ten interesting things about the online streamer that you probably didn’t know.

Messi Tattoo

In a livestream, he got the word “Messi” and the number “10” inked on his wrist while blindfolded. He allegedly had no idea what the tattoo was going to end up being and was visibly enraged when it was revealed to him. Lionel Messi is the main rival to his beloved soccer hero Cristiano Ronaldo.

One Piece

He claims that the producer of the anime series One Piece has given him the green light to stream all the episodes in full on his YouTube channel. Nobody before this has ever gotten the rights to stream One Piece on their YouTube channel, so this would be the first time in history it’s happened. 

Pokemon Fireworks

To celebrate America’s Independence, he lit a Pikachu-themed firework in his bedroom and inadvertently nearly set his home ablaze. The wild stunt came a year after the fire department was called to his home for doing the same thing. At first, the fireworks seemed pretty harmless, that is until Pikachu began shooting sparks from four different openings and spinning uncontrollably.

NBA Dream

Before becoming a viral sensation, Speed had a dream of playing in the NBA. He put in some impressive performances playing as a point guard for the Purcell Marian Catholic High School basketball team. Ultimately, he knew that his height disadvantage would prevent the NBA call up from happening. However, he has stated that he hopes his personality and his videos might help keep the dream alive.

Jumping Over Moving Cars

Speed allegedly became the first person in the world to jump over a moving car. In a clip posted to his X, a Lamborghini driven by his Dad is seen revving up in the distance, preparing to come towards the YouTuber. As the supercar races toward him, Speed – wearing a Cristiano Ronaldo jersey – leaps at the last second, soaring over the roof and landing smoothly on his feet.

Younger Brother

He has a younger half-brother named Dian Watkins, who also goes by the nickname Jamal. He has appeared in several of Speed’s livestreams over the years, including gaming sessions together, going on a double date and Speed giving him an awful live-streamed haircut. However, in recent times, Jamal has expressed a desire to lead a more typical teenage life, away from the public eye. He mentioned facing bullying at school due to his association with his brother.

Banned From Amusement Park

Speed visited Kings Island amusement park in Ohio, but his time in the park ended early after he whipped out a device on a rollercoaster to live-stream. The ride lasted for a few minutes before it stopped in a tunnel, where he started shouting and swearing at the other riders. After exiting the rollercoaster he was met by a park employee who instructed him to leave the premises. 

Slipz

The man behind the camera for every IShowSpeed live-stream. Slipz is Speed’s one and only cameraman and assistant. He travels everywhere with the content creator and the pair have become close friends. Slipz even captured the iconic moment when Speed got to finally meet with his hero, Cristiano Ronaldo. 

Dressed As A Bottle Of Prime

Speed made a surprise appearance at WWE’s WrestleMania XL. Dressed as a bottle of Prime – the energy drink co-founded by Logan Paul and KSI -, he was kicked by WWE superstar Randy Orton and hit with an RKO onto the announcer’s table.

KSI Number Leaked

During a live performance at London’s Indigo 02, Speed tried to give his friend and business collaborator KSI a facetime call. KSI didn’t answer to a chorus of boos from the packed audience, so Speed retaliated. He put his fellow content creators’ phone number on the screen for everyone in the arena to see. This isn’t the first time Speed has done something like this. When KSI posted a photo on X in front of Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or awards with the caption, “How many Ballon d’Ors does Ronaldo have?”, Speed responded by leaking his phone number.

author avatar
Harvey Aspell
See Full Bio