‘This tour isn’t sbout influencers’: iShowSpeed hits back at critics over Africa Tour
iShowSpeed has fired back at critics accusing him of being disrespectful for failing to collaborate with fellow content creators during his Africa tour — insisting the trip was never about influencer link-ups.
The 21-year-old streamer said the purpose of his visit to Nigeria and other African countries is to showcase real African culture, not to organise streamer collaborations or boost already-established creators.
Speed explained that every stop on the tour is carefully pre-planned and tightly scheduled by his team, with limited time allocated to specific locations in each country.
According to the YouTube star, the focus has been on highlighting ordinary people rarely seen online — from street performers with raw talent to local communities whose stories don’t usually reach a global audience.
He pushed back at complaints from influencers who felt overlooked, pointing out that many of them already have platforms and visibility of their own.
“This tour is about giving exposure to people who don’t have one,” Speed said, adding that he will not cancel cultural visits or moments arranged by locals just to accommodate influencers.
He stressed that the goal of the tour is to put African culture on display for the world, not to centre the experience around content creators.
“This isn’t a streamer tour,” he made clear. “It’s about Africa.”