For a month, he created an event and drew crowds in about twenty African countries: the African-American influencer IShowSpeed is completing an exuberant tour of the continent where he sought to promote a young and dynamic Africa to his 50 million subscribers on Youtube.

Racing against a cheetah in South Africa, visiting a diamond mine in Botswana, discovering Ethiopian culinary specialties, dancing with the Maasai in Kenya, exploring the pyramids of Egypt.... the most followed influencer on the planet spent dozens of hours "live" on social networks, multiplying interactions with the population that turned out in droves.

To the point of making many American internet users realize that Africa was more developed than Hollywood clichés suggest.

"They made us believe that Africa was poor and miserable, his live broadcasts changed my perception," "we are taught that Africa is primitive, dangerous, that we shouldn't go there," say some African-American subscribers, clearly moved, in videos reacting to the tour.

"He shows another Africa, an Africa that is moving, modernizing, and eager to do great things. He goes to places where there is modern infrastructure," Qemal Affagnon, a social media specialist and creator of Internet sans Frontières, told AFP.

"At a time when the American executive branch can sometimes present Africa in rather pejorative terms, it is disseminating another narrative. This is something that has clearly resonated with its American audience," he continues.

In Lagos, he celebrated his 21st birthday by passing the 50 million subscriber mark on Youtube; in Luanda he marveled at "the love received" and "the crazy energy"; before getting excited about the buildings of Nairobi or Addis Ababa.

However, he was careful not to talk about politics, even in countries known to be autocratic, attracting some criticism in the process.

The man nicknamed "Speed" has applied to the African continent the recipes from his travels around the world: his teams film him live, in rambling at a frenetic pace, where he alternates cultural discoveries, interactions with vendors or street artists... and various antics.

"True image"

On Youtube, the tour is a success with nearly 4 million more subscribers in one month and a live performance at the final of the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco which has already accumulated 15 million views, placing it directly in its top 10.

He also has 45 million followers on Instagram and 47 million on TikTok, with a personal fortune estimated at $20 million by Forbes.

His goal is not to present himself as the "savior" of Africa, but to show its "true image", without paternalism or victimization, his fans assure.

"The fact that he is the first American streamer to do a whole tour of Africa is historic. It's a huge achievement he has made for the streaming industry," rejoices Nigerian YouTuber Stephen Oluwafisayomi, aka "Stevosky".

And when a member of his team, on board a helicopter in Benin, remarks to him that it looks like "Miami, without the houses", he replies immediately: "no, it just looks like Benin".

This could appeal to some governments, in order to attract new visitors.

"There are countries today that are making gestures towards certain communities of Afro-descendants and it can serve as a link between these two worlds," explains Mr. Affegnon.

Direct into the Giza pyramids

In Nairobi, he met with the Minister of Tourism, Rebecca Miano, and received a warm welcome video message from President William Ruto, while in Egypt he was allowed to film live inside the Giza pyramid.

IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr, started his career like many "streamers" by filming himself playing video games.

But this football fan - and in particular of Cristiano Ronaldo - is not content to stay in his "gamer" chair and has travelled to Asia, Europe and South America, regularly coming close to riots.

During his African tour, wearing the national team football jersey of each country on his back, he was sometimes targeted, either by overly enthusiastic fans or by a hostile public.

As in Algeria, where he had to interrupt his live broadcast - a rarity - when fans threw bottles at him in a stadium during a football match.

The man who was named "Streamer of the Year" 2024 and 2025 at the Streamer Awards, an international award in the sector, and whose excesses led to his being banned from the Twitch platform between 2021 and 2023 for "sexual coercion or intimidation", is due to conclude this African tour this week with a DNA test supposed to reveal his origins on the continent.

In Liberia, where many Black Americans emigrated in the 19th century to reconnect with their African roots, he met a namesake whose ancestors left Ohio, Speed's home region: "He really is my ancestor," the latter joked.