Social media has become quite the star churner, with views, subscribers and followers reigning supreme. Various platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok have given rise to breakout celebrities whose net worth and popularity are tough to beat — case in point, Mr Beast, Khaby Lame, Huda Kattan and IShowSpeed. Today, we look into the rising net worth of YouTuber IShowSpeed, his claim to fame and other details.
Who is IShowSpeed?
Darren Watkins Jr, alias IShowSpeed, is a multi-talented American internet personality — a rapper, video game aficionado, live streamer and musician. Such is his digital prowess that he won the Breakout Streamer of the Year award at the 12th Streamy Awards in 2022. As an avid gamer and a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, IShowSpeed has amassed an impressive net worth through his YouTube channel and TikTok.
Decoding IShowSpeed’s net worth, earnings, brand partnerships and more
IShowSpeed’s net worth
Massive talent and an undeniable social media presence across various platforms have contributed immensely to his wealth. According to Celebrity Net Worth, IShowSpeed has an estimated net worth of around USD 10 million in 2024.
His rise to fame
IShowSpeed gained immense popularity and fame within a very short time by solely creating content. He started his YouTube channel in 2016 when he was just 11 years old. Though his growth was slow initially with live streams, it did not deter him. He eventually made a breakthrough during the COVID-19 pandemic when he began integrating NBA 2k20 and 2k21 into his gaming content.
Soon, IShowSpeed gained popularity on YouTube with live streams and gaming videos. Besides gaming, he performs stunts, shows off his musical talent and shares rap music videos and football-related content.
His YouTube channel also features videos of him taking on various tasks and sharing his experiences. From renting a girlfriend in Japan, participating in a unique cheese rolling race in Gloucestershire, UK, to attending an India v Pakistan T20 World Cup cricket match in New York, he has done it all.
His interactions with his followers, collaborations with fellow streamers, heated discussions with sports fans, cool music videos and customised content for TikTok make IShowSpeed a rising star with a high net worth.
IShowSpeed earns around USD 200 per upload on YouTube
Although he joined YouTube in 2016, he uploaded his first video, an NBA 2k18 shoot-around clip, in 2018. Then came the Fortnite live streams, but they did not pick up momentum. He halted his video-sharing career and focused on his school football.
However, it was during the pandemic that he went back to the Google-backed platform, and there was no looking back. Being one of the handful of gamers putting out quality NBA 2k20 and 2k21 content, IShowSpeed soon became immensely well known.
Reports suggest he gained 150 subscribers every week, which went up to nearly 1,000. He soon diversified with engaging live streams of other popular video games like WWE 2k24, Fortnite, Five Nights, Roblox and FIFA. In 2022, he introduced football content to his channel as well.
Coming to his YouTube career statistics, by June 2021, IShowSpeed had reportedly amassed 1 million subscribers. With 31 million subscribers and counting, his earnings from his following add heavily to IShowSpeed’s net worth. Depending on the length of the videos, he makes around USD 75 to USD 200 for every upload. He apparently makes an average monthly revenue of USD 16,000 from AdSense, with an annual figure of over USD 1 million. With impressive viewership statistics averaging 8.43 million views monthly and around 615k views daily, IShowSpeed’s channel can generate around USD 3 million in annual revenue.
His collaborations with other streamers like Adin Ross, Kai Cenat and the Sidemen have also contributed to his growing popularity and fortune.
IShowSpeed has two more YouTube channels — Live Speedy (11.8 million subscribers) and Speedy Boykins (1.98 million subscribers).
However, after he uploaded a death-defying stunt of jumping over two moving cars in August 2024, IShowSpeed faced a two-week ban from YouTube.
TikTok earnings can be around USD 15k
After gaining popularity on YouTube, IShowSpeed became a TikTok sensation when his fans started sharing clips of his live streams, which quickly went viral. According to media reports, he could earn nearly USD 15k for each post. Besides his live streaming, IShowSpeed uses TikTok for his music videos and original songs as well.
Interestingly, unlike other platforms that compensate creators for running ads on their videos, TikTok has no such policy. Here, creators directly collaborate with brands or other pages to sell space on their videos. Hence, IShowSpeed’s income from TikTok largely depends on his engagement and viral impact.
With over 16 million followers on TikTok, the short video hosting site is a significant contributor to IShowSpeed’s net worth.
Music career
This YouTuber has also dipped his fingers in the music industry and has several original music videos to his credit. IShowSpeed dropped his debut single “Dooty Booty” in 2021 which went viral on TikTok. He followed it up with a string of other songs like “Shake”, “God is Good” and “Ronaldo (Sewey)”. In 2023, he released “World Cup” under Warner Records as a tribute to the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament.
The same year, he performed at the Rolling Loud festival in Portugal alongside notable artists like Ski Mask the Slump God and DJ Scheme.
Reportedly, he earns between USD 4,000 and USD 7,000 for a million streams. This means IShowSpeed’s music career income also adds considerably to his net worth.
His most recent release was his six-track EP Trip 2 Brazil, which dropped on 24 March 2024. The EP has appearances from New Jersey artist Bandmanrill and Brazilian artist Kevin O Chris and two official music videos for the title track and “Monkey”.
IShowSpeed’s brand deals
Prime officially signs ishowspeed pic.twitter.com/maF3C7wi7b
— Pubity (@pubity) April 9, 2024
IShowSpeed’s main earnings come from YouTube. However, a strong presence on other social media platforms (he has over 24.6 million followers on Instagram and 3.1 million followers on X) means an increased reach and chances of bigger brand deals. One of them is Prime Hydration, founded by two of his close friends, Logan Paul and KSI.
Not much is known about IShowSpeed’s other brand deals.
IShowSpeed is a Cristiano Ronaldo fan
A die-hard fan! In fact, one of his most-viewed videos is where he meets the Portuguese icon. The video shows Cristiano Ronaldo coming out of his car and IShowSpeed hugs him and even does his signature “Siuu” gesture. The video has nearly 21 million views.
Expensive things IShowSpeed owns
With IShowSpeed’s net worth, it is natural for him to indulge in some extravagant purchases.
As an ardent fan of the footballing icon, IShowSpeed’s love for him seems to know no bounds and his expensive car collection is proof. He reportedly owns a Ronaldo-themed Lamborghini, valued at over USD 230k. He also received a Tesla Cyber Truck from Logan Paul after IShowSpeed was hit by Randy Orton with an RKO at WrestleMania XL. Reportedly, the truck costs over USD 100k.
His flashy garage has some other robust vehicles like a Lamborghini Urus that cost around USD 240,000. It is powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine and exerts between 641 and 657 horsepower pressure. A sleek Porsche 911 Carrera S, costing around USD 200,000, is also a part of his collection.
A USD 50,000 AI-powered talking robot named Moxie is one of his luxury buys as well. The AI robot was originally designed to help kids build social, emotional and cognitive skills.
In 2023, IShowSpeed gave a tour of the first house that he bought in his hometown. Worth USD 10 million, it features two walk-in closets and five bedrooms. The attached bathroom to the master bedroom is gorgeous, with a bathtub and a large, open drawing room with a staircase. An adjoining bar, wine cellar and dining room make it an expansive space. There is also an in-house gym and movie theatre that make it an abode of dreams. The backyard features a swimming pool, deckchairs, wide fields and canopied sitting areas.
Personal life
IShowSpeed was born on 21 January 2005 in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2021, he began dating Ermony Renee, a fellow Cincinnati native. He introduced her to live stream which opened up a new dimension to his online personality and further made him popular.
While IShowSpeed has seen a meteoric rise, his journey has brought in multiple controversies as well. He was banned from Twitch due to misogynistic behaviour towards Ash Kash during a live-streaming session with Adin Ross. In 2022, he was banned from the Valorant game for similar behaviour, and two years later, he was banned from YouTube after his dangerous stunt video violated community guidelines.
(Hero and Featured image credit: IShowSpeed/ @ishowspeed/ Instagram)
