IShowSpeed Makes History On 21st Birthday With 50M YouTube Subscribers
Darren Jason Watkins Jr, known globally as IShowSpeed, marked his 21st birthday with a historic milestone: surpassing 50 million YouTube subscribers live on stream while celebrating in Lagos, Nigeria.
The achievement places IShowSpeed among a small group of creators whose audiences rival mid-size television networks. According to Black Millionaires, he is the first Black creator to reach the 50-million-subscriber mark.
As the subscriber counter ticked upward during the livestream, IShowSpeed framed the moment as a collective win. “Chat, this is the best birthday gift that I could ever ask for,” he told viewers, per AfroTech. “I love y’all so much. I love all my fans from the bottom of my heart. We finally reached 50 million.”
A Career Built On Global Streaming
IShowSpeed first began uploading gaming content in 2016, streaming titles like NBA 2K. In a 2023 interview on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast, IShowSpeed said his breakout moment came when he fully committed to streaming. “My sophomore year, I kind of gave up on school,” he told Sharpe. “I kind of gave up on everything that I had in my old life and just put everything on my stream. I streamed every day. I didn’t care about nothing else except YouTube streaming.”
That commitment evolved into globe-spanning livestreams. In 2023, IShowSpeed pivoted toward travel-driven content, turning cities and countries into live backdrops for his streams. His Southeast Asia tour in 2024 proved to be a tipping point: a livestream from Indonesia drew more than one million concurrent viewers.
IShowSpeed has since made it a goal to stream in every country. He is currently on the final leg of his Africa tour which has included stops in Algeria, Egypt, Zambia, Ghana, and Nigeria.
From Viral Star to Growing Media Brand
In addition to boasting more than 50 million YouTube subscribers, IShowSpeed has 45 million Instagram followers and 47 million on TikTok. Forbes estimates his earnings at roughly $20 million in 2025, fueled by ads, brand deals, and YouTube’s monetization ecosystem.
He has also branched into music, signing with Warner Records and releasing his 2022 single “World Cup,” which charted internationally during the FIFA World Cup.
Speaking to Forbes, IShowSpeed said he plans to continue expanding his business ambitions, including launching new products and producing more structured video content as he transitions from a raw livestreamer into a broader media brand.
He even has extraterrestrial ambitions. “I want to stream in space one day,” he said. “Once I talk to Elon Musk, it’s happening. I want to keep making people happy. I want to keep making people laugh. I want to keep reaching.”
Image: ANNA WEBBER/GETTY IMAGES
