iShowSpeed: Africa tour Is about culture, not influencer collabs

American online streamer Darren Jason Watkins Jr., widely known as iShowSpeed, has responded to criticism over his ongoing Africa tour, saying the trip is not centred on collaborations with influencers but on showcasing African culture and everyday people.

The clarification followed reactions to his Wednesday livestream from Lagos, Nigeria, which marked his first full day in the country. The broadcast attracted massive crowds, featured spontaneous street interactions, and generated several viral moments that dominated online conversations across Africa and beyond.

Controversy arose after some Nigerian content creators accused the streamer of ignoring requests for collaboration during his Lagos visit. Fans repeatedly encouraged Speed to meet Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, a Nigerian streamer active on TikTok and Kick.

Peller made several attempts to get Speed’s attention, including approaching his vehicle and later riding a horse through traffic. In a widely circulated video, he was heard pleading for a collaboration, but Speed did not respond and continued with his planned activities.

The incidents sparked widespread online debate, with some fans and creators questioning why one of the world’s most prominent streamers would tour Africa without engaging popular local influencers.

Addressing the criticism, as reported by The Times of India on Thursday, Speed said the objective of his “Speed Does Africa” tour had been misunderstood.

“This tour is not about collaborations with influencers or streamers,” he said. “The goal is to show African culture, the people on the streets, and the talent that doesn’t usually get seen.”

He added that many of those expressing dissatisfaction already have established audiences, noting that the tour is designed to spotlight lesser-known individuals and communities.

Speed also explained that his daily activities are carefully planned by his team, leaving little room for spontaneous meetups.

“Every day on this tour is scheduled — the locations, the time, everything,” he said, stressing that adding unplanned collaborations would disrupt arrangements made with local communities.

According to him, cutting short cultural visits or cancelling pre-arranged engagements would be disrespectful and undermine the purpose of the tour.

The streamer noted that similar reactions occurred during his earlier stop in South Africa, where some creators also felt overlooked. Despite this, he said he remains focused on the core message of the journey.

“This trip is about the real Africa — the street performers, the local artists, and the communities with real talent that don’t usually get global attention,” he said.

iShowSpeed’s Africa tour, titled Speed Does Africa, began on December 29, 2025, and is scheduled to run for 28 days across 20 countries. His next stop is expected to be Benin Republic.