The effect and level of engagement that IShowSpeed “Speed” has had on his China trip have been at levels normally only diplomats or cultural institutions reach. The fact that a Black creator from the U.S. went on a tour in China and was met with what appeared to be universal acclaim needs to be talked about a lot more. What does it mean that a streamer is doing more for cultural understanding than the media is doing?
Let’s start with Speed. Speed began his streaming journey in 2016 and gained popularity around 2021. Speed told Forbes in an interview, “It's pretty much improvising, just natural. Everything is just random events. Stuff just happens.” This natural, carefree approach is what attracted followers and subscribers to him. Currently, Speed has 33 million followers on Instagram and 38 million subscribers on YouTube. He is one of a few Black streamers that has gained international appeal. KSI, from the U.K., and Kai Cenat from the U.S. are two others that have also shown their global reach, but what’s happened with Speed and China is much different.
It’s probably because of how he does things. Things aren’t clean-cut and rehearsed. Speed doesn’t speak the language. Speed isn’t going for a scripted show. Speed is, in many ways, pretty chaotic on his streams. He does all the things that someone would tell a journalist or someone in media or politics not to do, but it works. People seem to be drawn to him everywhere he goes. Through all the chaos, his authenticity is clear. A video of him asking if a robot that fell is okay, him being scared when being in a flying car, and Speed testing the newest tech, are just a few examples of moments that have gone viral from his China trip. Here’s the thing. The average American who travels to China, more than likely has preconceived notions about what the people are like, the tech, and the culture. Speed going on an unsanctioned trip and giving a view of what the country is like actually does more for China than any media or marketing campaign China could have done.
The trip also has some effects on how people abroad may view Blackness. Speed is 20, curious, fun, unserious, but as previously mentioned, wholesome and authentic. American media shows Blackness usually in one of two extremes. As subhuman or superhuman. Speed is neither. He’s improvisational, he’s playful, and in many ways represents alternative angles of the Black experience than what is commonly shown to audiences abroad.
Speed didn’t go on behalf of a school, country, or company. This wasn’t an official Chinese government-backed tour or brand trip. This was a kid going to China who was, at some point, welcomed with a red carpet. What the stream essentially felt like at moments was that he was being used as an advertisement for all of the most cutting-edge consumer products that China has and the U.S. doesn’t. His stream, which garnered millions of views, was also acknowledged by the Chinese embassy in the U.S. Some questions that must be asked now are what are some of the best ways culture can be represented? Who should be the arbiters of culture?
Something else to think about is what this situation tell us about influence. No marketing or branding agency organized these moments, from what we know. No government institution scripted or controlled these moments. A content creator, a Black content creator, essentially operated as a symbol. These moments, this ordeal, could shift future cultural strategies and change how culture is shared amongst places. It’s a lesson in authenticity as well as the power of the internet.
The digital age has changed and democratized many aspects of cultural diplomacy. Media companies cannot operate how they used to. Governments cannot interact with media the same way they used to when streamers seemed to have the attention, love, and trust of the people much more. It goes back to authenticity. People see streamers and feel like they know them and they feel like the streamers are just being themselves. Black creators specifically, who are part of a group that is usually misrepresented, have opportunities to reframe how they are represented to the world in a carefree and authentic way.