The streets of Liberia's capital were temporarily brought to a standstill on Saturday, January 24, as global YouTube sensation Darren Watkins Jr., popularly known as IShowSpeed, arrived in the country as part of his widely followed "Speed Does Africa" tour.
What began as an entertainment visit quickly evolved into a cultural moment, drawing massive crowds, generating record-breaking online engagement, and highlighting Liberia's growing presence in the global digital space.
The Liberia stops formed part of Speed's 20-nation African tour that began in late 2025. His visit followed a personal invitation from FC Bayern Munich and Canadian international Alphonso Davies, who was born to Liberian parents. During a viral online raffle draw in June 2025, Speed had publicly promised to visit Liberia--an assurance that resonated strongly with fans and was fulfilled amid heightened anticipation.
Although Davies could not attend due to club commitments in Germany, his connection to the visit was acknowledged. Speed was presented with a portrait of the football star and jokingly remarked during his livestream, "I came before you--come back, boi!" a comment that drew widespread reactions online.
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A major highlight of the visit was the revelation of Speed's ancestral ties to Liberia. During his stay in Monrovia, the YouTuber met members of the Watkins family, descendants of freed American slaves who migrated from Ohio to Liberia in the 1800s. The emotional encounter resonated strongly with viewers, many of whom described the moment as a symbolic homecoming connecting Liberia's history with the modern African diaspora.
Speed later traveled to Providence Island, Liberia's historic founding site, where he was accorded a traditional welcome by elders and presented with kola nuts, a revered symbol of honor and hospitality in Liberian culture. The ceremonial reception featured traditional drumming, cultural dances, and performances reflecting the country's rich heritage.
From Providence Island, the visit shifted to West Point, where scenes of excitement unfolded as thousands of fans flooded the streets to catch a glimpse of the internet star. Rooftops, balconies, and alleyways filled with cheering youths as Speed navigated the community while livestreaming the moment to a global audience. Security personnel struggled to manage the swelling crowd as excitement intensified.
The atmosphere peaked when Speed performed his signature "Siu" celebration, drawing a thunderous response from the crowd and creating one of the most memorable moments of the visit.
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In keeping with his interactive style, Speed immersed himself in Liberian culture by dancing with traditional mask performers and attempting local dance routines. The spontaneous performances quickly went viral, earning praise from fans for showcasing Liberia's cultural vibrancy in an unscripted and authentic way.
The visit also sparked light-hearted debate online after Speed tasted Liberian Jollof Rice, rating it eight out of ten and suggesting it rivaled other West African versions. The remark reignited the popular regional Jollof debate across social media platforms. He also attempted pounding fufu during a street interaction, joking that he could not eat it due to the absence of soup.
Digitally, the Liberia stop emerged as the most successful leg of Speed's African tour. His Liberia livestream reportedly surpassed 1.4 million concurrent viewers in less than an hour, making it the highest-viewed stream of the tour. Clips from Monrovia circulated widely on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and X, exposing millions of viewers worldwide to Liberia's culture, landmarks, and street life.
As Speed proceeds to the final leg of his African journey, his time in Liberia has been widely praised as a testament to the country's hospitality, youthful energy, and cultural depth. Beyond entertainment, the visit demonstrated how digital platforms can reconnect diaspora communities and elevate Liberia's global visibility.
For Liberia, the visit marked more than a celebrity appearance--it was a moment of national pride, cultural affirmation, and international exposure, streamed live for the world to see.
