CINCINNATI, OHIO: Since he first gained notoriety in the streaming community, Darren "IShowSpeed" has generated quite a bit of controversy.
With his 'hot-headed' style and antics, the well-known YouTuber has managed to draw a following of over 20.2 million subscribers to his channel.
The individual has faced numerous challenges due to his controversial statements and conduct on his streams, leading to suspensions on Reddit and permanent bans on Twitch and Valorant.
How did IShowSpeed become famous?
Around the time the Covid-19 epidemic started in 2020, Speed began taking YouTube streaming and content creation seriously. His streams primarily focused on the NBA 2K video game series.
With the aid of his streams, he gradually established a community for himself and experienced moderate growth during his first year of video production.
In 2021, things started to pick up for the young YouTuber. Darren began having meltdowns on stream, frequently screaming or throwing items, as he continued to stream 2K, Fortnite, and other video games regularly.
Fans posted clips from his livestreams, including those of his tantrums, on social media platforms like TikTok. He gained one million subscribers in less than two months due to the popularity of these videos and rants.
Furthermore, IShowSpeed was able to maintain this high rate of expansion, reaching 11 million subscribers in just under 18 months.
The majority of Speed's popularity and entertainment value is directly related to his antics, which have proven to be a double-edged sword for the streamer.
His meltdowns improve his audience and engagement, leading the streamer to repeatedly up the ante on his next freak-out or stunt. This feedback loop has been noted by outside observers.
IShowSpeed's most infamous moments
Due to his misogynistic outbursts and threats on stream, IShowSpeed has experienced some of the most notorious moments in his career. He participated in a date on Adin Ross' stream with online influencer Ash Kaash before the end of 2021.
Speed frequently threatened the TikTok celebrity throughout the Discord date, and his threats were so serious that he was permanently barred from performing on Twitch.
An identical response was given to him by Epic Games after some sexist remarks made about a female gamer went public.
Although he has achieved success on YouTube, the video-streaming service has recently taken action against him. Jake Lucky, an esports journalist, also made public a portion of an IShowSpeed stream that contained pornographic material from a Minecraft hack.
The journalist and Speed got into a fight over it, which is still going on. There is no doubt that IShowSpeed has discovered a formula for internet and social media success that works, at least for him.
However, his content might not be to everyone's taste.
