Global streaming star Darren Jason Watkins Jr., better known to millions of fans as IShowSpeed, has made a stop in the Caribbean island of Dominica as part of his sweeping regional tour, bringing unexpected goodwill and cultural celebration to the flood-impacted nation.
This Caribbean leg marks the latest addition to Speed’s string of high-profile international tours, which have already taken the content creator across Europe, Asia, Africa and beyond. Unlike typical celebrity visits, his stop in Dominica was designed to be a deep dive into local culture, from indigenous traditions to iconic local cuisine.
Plans for a multi-day itinerary were upended by severe flooding and uncooperative weather that swept the island the weekend before his arrival, but instead of cutting his trip short, Speed pivoted quickly to turn the disruption into an opportunity for support. The influencer announced he would donate 100% of the earnings generated from his Dominica visit stream to local flood recovery efforts, with his long-time sponsor Expedia stepping up to match the contribution dollar-for-dollar.
What unfolded was a packed, just under three-hour whirlwind tour that showcased the very best of Dominican culture to Speed’s millions of online viewers. His experience began with a traditional cleansing ritual led by the Kalinago, the Caribbean’s indigenous people, who welcomed him with ceremonial face paint, traditional garments, and a new Kalinago name: Elayti, which translates to “strength.”
Next, Speed went head-to-head in a friendly bounding competition against Dominica’s own Olympic gold medalist Thea Lafond. While pushing hard to win, he took a minor tumble that left him with a scraped knee, and ultimately fell short of the champion’s score. Lafond, however, praised his effort and sportsmanship, temporarily awarding him her Olympic gold medal as a prize for his participation.
The streamer then went on to learn traditional local dances including the Bélé, picking up the steps quickly and impressing onlookers with his enthusiasm. He also got a cultural lesson on the meaning of “767” — Dominica’s international area code — clearing up his initial confusion between the number and the viral TikTok “67” trend. A special curated edition of the popular Wato food festival was held exclusively for his visit, where Speed sampled a spread of beloved local dishes including titiwi accra, callalou soup, bounja, bakes and cheese, and local Caco tea, all of which he enjoyed enthusiastically.
He wrapped up his visit with a taste of Dominica’s famous street jump and Carnival traditions, trying on a traditional Sensay costume before taking the stage for a live performance of a remixed bouyon version of one of his hit tracks, backed by legendary local bouyon group Triple K Band. After visiting several other Caribbean nations on his tour including Trinidad, St. Lucia, Barbados and St. Vincent, Speed declared that Dominican bouyon was the “hardest” — the highest compliment in his vocabulary — he had encountered in the entire region.
Speed was guided throughout his visit by a team of prominent local personalities and tourism officials, including Jodie Dublin Dangleben, Jael Joseph, and Monelle Alexis, with Shy Guy from Shy Guy Tours serving as his personal on-the-ground guide. His stop in Dominica is one of 16 stops across the Caribbean on his current regional tour, which also includes Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the US Virgin Islands.