Why is iSpeed helping to document Kwame Nkrumah's story?

Background

The project brings together Breakwater Studios and Higher Ground Productions, the production company founded by former US president Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama.

The story at the center

The 90-minute film follows Chris Hesse, who served as personal cameraman to Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first president and a leading voice for African liberation. As his eyesight fades, Hesse races against time to rescue more than 1,000 films capturing the continent's struggle for independence in the 1950s and 60s. Following the 1966 coup that overthrew Nkrumah, the archive remained out of public view for decades. The film, directed by two-time Oscar winner Ben Proudfoot, revisits both Hesse's career and his lifelong efforts to safeguard footage that could otherwise have disappeared from Ghana's history.

Why IShowSpeed specifically

For IShowSpeed, the connection to Ghana is personal. During his "Speed Does Africa" tour, the 21-year-old creator visited Accra, told viewers he was "back home" and shared that his ancestry traces to Ghana. At the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, he recreated the pose of Ghana's first president, a figure whose life is central to the new documentary. He developed an interest in the project after that visit and, after learning about the documentary, reached out to the team to find out how he could contribute, eventually becoming a producer on the project.

In his own words, IShowSpeed said:

"His camera captured the birth of African independence, and his determination to preserve those images has ensured that future generations can witness it for themselves. I'm humbled by his legacy and proud to help bring his story to my community."

What his reach changes

The documentary's renewed international exposure, including IShowSpeed's involvement, creates an opportunity to introduce Hesse's work to audiences who may know little about Ghana's independence-era film history. IShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr., has amassed over 200 million followers and subscribers across various streaming and social media platforms. That kind of reach is exactly what a 94-year-old archivist's life work needed: a bridge to a generation that never heard of it.

The Eyes of Ghana hits theaters on October 28.