On April 05, 2025, YouTube streamer Darren “IShowSpeed” Watkins Jr., known for his high-energy and often chaotic IRL streams, took his China tour to new heights—literally—when he boarded a “flying taxi” in Shenzhen. The vehicle in question was the EHang EH216-S, an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developed by the Chinese tech company EHang Holdings Limited. As the fully automated craft lifted off, Speed’s usual bravado quickly gave way to panic, with the streamer shouting, “Oh my god, I’m shaking!” and “I wanna get off!” while the flying taxi hovered above the city. His animated reaction, captured live for his millions of viewers, showcased a mix of genuine fear and his signature over-the-top theatrics, making for a hilarious moment that quickly spread across platforms like X, where users marveled at both his antics and China’s cutting-edge technology.
 

The humor in seeing IShowSpeed, a Black American, flipping out in a flying taxi in China stems from the cultural and contextual contrasts at play. Speed, known for his loud, unfiltered persona, has been a fish out of water throughout his China tour, engaging with a culture that’s often unfamiliar to his audience and, at times, to himself. His larger-than-life reactions—like screaming in a futuristic flying car—amplify the absurdity of the situation, especially in a country where Black visitors can still be a rarity in some areas, often drawing curious stares or, as Speed has experienced, racially insensitive encounters. The juxtaposition of a Black man, already a spectacle to some locals, losing his mind in a sci-fi-like vehicle in a nation often stereotyped as traditional rather than futuristic, creates a comedic clash of expectations that’s both unexpected and entertaining.
 

However, the humor also carries a bittersweet edge when viewed through the lens of Speed’s broader experiences in China. While his flying taxi meltdown was a highlight for its sheer absurdity, his tour has been marred by racist encounters, such as fans making monkey noises or using derogatory language, which have sparked discussions on platforms like Reddit about racial insensitivity in China. Speed’s ability to laugh off these moments, or in this case, channel his energy into a funny freakout, reflects his resilience as an entertainer, but it also underscores the challenges Black individuals can face abroad. The flying taxi incident, while hilarious on its own, becomes a microcosm of Speed’s China journey— a mix of awe at the country’s advancements, cultural disconnects, and his knack for turning even the most uncomfortable situations into viral, laugh-out-loud content.