IShowSpeed

IShowSpeed is the stage name of Darren Watkins, Jr., an American hip-hop artist, gamer, and online content creator who launched his career on the video platform YouTube. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 21, 2005, and opened his YouTube channel as an 11 year-old in March 2016. After uploading his first video the following year, he gradually built an audience by posting videos of his NBA 2K tutorials and gameplays, eventually earning more than 13 million subscribers. He also launched a parallel career as a rapper, releasing a series of singles — including "Shake," "Bounce That A$$," and "Dooty Booty" — on YouTube in 2021. Featuring samples of songs by Ray Charles, Skrillex, and Nelly Furtado, IShowSpeed's singles were accompanied by music videos that showcased the artist's off-kilter (and sometimes controversial) behavior. Despite being temporarily banned on YouTube and permanently banned on Twitch due to a series of off-color rants, IShowSpeed continued to release new music on both platforms, with "God is Good," "Ronaldo," and "World Cup" all appearing in 2022. Released two weeks before the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament, the "World Cup" video became an international viral hit in November 2022, reaching Number 3 on the Top 100: Australie, Number 1 on Norway's Top 100 YouTube, Number 2 on Finland's Top 100 YouTube, and Number 2 on Canada's Top 100 - Music Videos.