Lagos (AFP) – US YouTuber IShowSpeed visited Nigeria’s cultural and economic capital Lagos as part of his African tour on Wednesday, where he celebrated his 21st birthday by hitting 50 million subscribers. The YouTube and Twitch star’s tour kicked off on December 29, travelling through some 15 countries across Africa and drawing crowds at every stop. Rolling Stone magazine named him the Most Influential Creator of 2025 while Forbes estimates his net worth at $20 million.
IShowSpeed began his Lagos visit at the bustling Balogun Market in the Lagos Island district, where crowds heckled him and asked for money. “What are they saying? It’s like they’re speaking English, but a different kind of English,” the influencer, surrounded by bodyguards, remarked as he quickly left the market. At Freedom Park, located on the site of a former prison, he jumped at the spicy kick of his first bite of jollof rice before heading to the Nike Art Gallery — a must-see for every celebrity and high-ranking political figure who comes to Lagos.
“IShowSpeed is showcasing the culture, relationships, cultural differences and food,” Stephen Oluwafisayomi, a 24-year-old YouTuber known as Stevosky, told AFP at Freedom Park. “He wants Americans to see Africa as a place they can also come to,” he added.
At around 6:00 pm (1700 GMT), IShowSpeed, who was celebrating his birthday, stopped his security convoy at the side of the road to watch his YouTube channel hit 50 million subscribers and proceeded to shove his face into a cake for the occasion. “He may have shown some negative aspects of these countries, but that should be able to motivate people to help, contribute and try to improve them, whether by creating businesses, raising funds or by any other means at their disposal,” according to Karim Jari, an 18-year-old high school student at the Nike Art Gallery.
The day before, IShowSpeed celebrated Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) victory in Dakar. Born in Cincinnati as Darren Jason Watkins Jr., the YouTube star began gaining traction 10 years ago, first by publishing video game content and later by posting about his travels around the world. His Africa tour has featured a race against a cheetah in South Africa, a football match with 100 children in Angola, a visit to Kenya’s Maasai, and the AFCON final in Morocco.
© 2024 AFP
