- He added that abandoning cultural engagements or altering plans made by host communities would be disrespectful
- the tour is not designed for influencer meetups or content collaborations, but to spotlight African culture
- The streamer noted that similar criticisms surfaced during his earlier visit to South Africa
Popular American online streamer Darren Jason Watkins Jr., widely known as iShowSpeed, has responded to criticisms that he snubbed Nigerian content creators during his ongoing Africa tour, clarifying that the trip is not built around influencer collaborations.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the clarification followed reactions that trailed his first full day livestream in Lagos on Wednesday, which drew huge street crowds, spontaneous interactions, and several viral moments that quickly sparked conversations across social media in Nigeria and beyond.
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The controversy erupted after some Nigerian content creators accused the streamer of deliberately avoiding collaborations during his stay in Lagos. Fans had repeatedly urged Speed to meet popular Nigerian streamer Habeeb Hamzat, also known as Peller, who is active on TikTok and Kick.
Peller made multiple attempts to get Speed’s attention, including approaching his convoy and later riding a horse through traffic in a bid to meet him. In one viral clip, Peller was heard appealing to the streamer to collaborate, but Speed did not respond and continued with his scheduled activities.
The incidents fueled online debates, with many questioning why one of the world’s most-followed streamers would tour Africa without engaging established local creators.
Addressing the backlash in a statement reported by The Times of India on Thursday, iShowSpeed said the objective of his “Speed Does Africa” tour had been widely misunderstood.
According to him, the tour is not designed for influencer meetups or content collaborations, but to spotlight African culture, street life, and everyday talents that rarely receive global exposure.
He explained that many of those expressing disappointment already have sizable online platforms, noting that the tour is focused on amplifying voices and talents that typically go unnoticed.
Speed also clarified that his daily movements are tightly coordinated by his team, stressing that locations, schedules, and activities are pre-arranged, leaving little room for spontaneous collaborations.
He added that abandoning cultural engagements or altering plans made by host communities would be disrespectful, insisting that the structure of the tour must be followed.
The streamer noted that similar criticisms surfaced during his earlier visit to South Africa, but said he remains committed to the core purpose of the tour.
“This trip is about the real Africa, the street performers, local artists, and communities with raw talent that don’t usually get global attention,” he said.
iShowSpeed’s Africa tour, tagged Speed Does Africa, began on December 29, 2025, and is expected to run for 28 days across 20 African countries. He is scheduled to visit Benin Republic next as the tour continues.
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