CINCINNATI — Online personality IShowSpeed, a streamer who most recently topped Rolling Stone's list of the 25 most influential creators, is giving back to his hometown of Cincinnati.
The 20-year-old, born Darren Watkins Jr., is currently livestreaming his journey through multiple U.S. cities in his "irl stream in America" series on YouTube. On Day 13, he decided to take his more than 43 million subscribers to Cincinnati, visiting where he grew up and even stopping at his high school, Purcell Marian.
Speed and his crew also went to TQL Stadium, hanging out with FC Cincinnati players and playing a game with some of the team's youth clubs.
During his visit with FC Cincinnati, Speed said he was raising money for his hometown.
"Obviously, you know I'm from here," he said on the stream. "I'm raising money for the city ... I have to show love to my hometown ... the young kids here. This is where I grew up, this is where I'm from."
He then shared a link to an every.org fundraising page for the IShowSpeed Foundation's "CINCINNATI Fundraiser." The website says proceeds are going to organizations in the area, including Purcell Marian, FC Cincinnati's West End Pride team, Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati and more.
In his final hours in his hometown, Speed also gave envelopes to his friends from childhood, saying he wanted to give them "a piece" of what he's earned since rising to fame.
Speed is still continuing his "irl stream," spending time in Nashville before continuing across the country.
