Before YouTuber IShowSpeed was a household name, the streamer almost laughed at a kid saying, "My mom is kinda homeless."

"Please, Speed, I need this," the young fan pleaded over a game of Fortnite.

"Speed, I'm watching your stream. Why are you trying not to laugh, bruh?" another player on the voice call asked.

The clip has since become a viral reaction GIF and meme, originally known as "IShowSpeed Smiling Trying Not to Laugh." However, in recent weeks, the kid's quotes, "Please Speed I Need This" and "My Mom is Kinda Homeless," have become the defining phrases.

So, where did the "My Mom is Kinda Homeless" meme come from? Who created it and how is it used online? Let's explain.

Where Did The 'My Mom is Kinda Homeless' Meme Come From?

The original "My Mom is Kinda Homeless" livestream was shared by IShowSpeed (Speed) on December 29th, 2021. It was titled, "EARLY STREAM!" and in the following years, it has become the source of several Speed clips, memes and GIFs.

At the 2:08:05 timestamp, Speed is playing against a younger boy in a game of Fortnite. The kid is pleading with him to throw the game, saying, "Please, Speed, I need this. My mom is kind of homeless. I live with my dad. I wanna help her out."

For some reason, Speed almost laughs. Perhaps it was the boy's desperate, voice-cracking tone or the idea of someone being "kinda" homeless. He's then called out for almost breaking.

"Speed, I'm watching your stream. Why are you trying not to laugh, bruh?" says another player in the game. The streamer's face turns into a serene smile when he's confronted and then humorously berated by the off-screen other.

Who Is Streamer IShowSpeed?

IShowSpeed is currently one of the top streamers in the world. He was recently named the number one most influential influencer by Rolling Stone following a multi-year career of video games, IRL antics and world travel.

Speed's real name is Darren Watkins Jr., and he was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He's only 20 years old but already boasts over 45.4 million subscribers on YouTube, which is where he primarily shares content.

He has several memes to his name like "Are You Serious Right Neow, Bro?" and "Skip, Skip." But his "My Mom is Kinda Homeless" meme is arguably his most famous.

How Is The 'My Mom is Kinda Homeless' Meme Used Online?

IShowSpeed's "My Mom is Kinda Homeless" clip was first used as a meme in October 2023, when X user @VenomDbd used it to make a joke about Miles Morales. Back then, it was used quite literally to express holding back laughter and getting caught.

In the following years, the meme took many shapes, including redraws, which showed different characters as Speed smiling serenely or pursing his lips, commonly paired with the original quotes from the "kinda homeless" kid.

The clip's overarching use, however, is as a reaction image or GIF. Speed's range of emotion in the scene has proven to be viral fodder, which explains why he is the subject of many such GIFs.

Where Is The 'My Mom is Kinda Homeless' Kid Now?

Last month, IShowSpeed did a "Reunion Stream" with the two guys from the 2021 "My Mom is Kinda Homeless" stream. The boy, who's 16 now, is named Acey. When he reunited with Speed on Fortnite, the streamer called out how much deeper his voice had gotten.

During the stream's duration, Acey actually beat Speed in Fortnite. And at one point, Acey's mom joined the stream and reiterated that she was kind of homeless a few years ago.

Speed, Acey and the other kid, named Pew, then recreated the original "My Mom is Kinda Homeless" clip. Some have praised the remake, while others think that the original clears it.

IShowSpeed just recreated the “My Mom Is Kinda Homeless” meme with the same kids from last time with their face cams on 😭
pic.twitter.com/oFYIR5bcaI

— FearBuck (@FearedBuck) October 26, 2025

What Are Some More 'My Mom is Kinda Homeless' Memes?

@dizzyd0ntkn0w #dizzydontknow #mymomiskindahomeless #viral #speed ♬ original sound – lil_mondragon208

@anggaraheem my mom is kinda homeless but it’s MIDI #ishowspeed #flstudio #producer #memes #piano ♬ original sound – gar

@the_one_and.only17 #fypシ #fypシ゚viral #ishowspeed #mymomiskindahomeless #viral ♬ original sound – clover 🍀

@timmy_burch #holdinlaugh #speed #ishowspeed #cantholdit #funny ♬ original sound – Timmy_burch

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For the full history of My Mom is Kinda Homeless, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's entry for even more information.