DDG's Mount Rushmore Pick: Speed, Kai, Plaqueboymax
DDG just dropped his Mount Rushmore of streaming and the internet is doing what the internet does best—losing its collective mind. In a clip that's ricocheting across X/Twitter faster than a Kai Cenat subathon hype moment, the YouTuber-turned-rapper placed IShowSpeed, Kai Cenat, and Plaqueboymax on his sacred monument of streamer gods. Fourth spot? Apparently TBD, which is either a cliffhanger or DDG ran out of names. Either way, the discourse is alive.
Let's break down the picks and whether DDG's got a point or just needs to watch more streams.
IShowSpeed: The Obvious Choice
If you've been anywhere near YouTube or TikTok in the last two years, you've seen Darren Watkins Jr. (IShowSpeed) screaming, dancing, or accidentally flashing his entire audience on a Christmas stream. The man is a walking viral moment with over 24 million YouTube subscribers and the kind of chaotic energy that makes parents worry and clips channels salivate. Speed's appeal is pure, unfiltered spectacle—he's the internet's id given human form. Love him or hate him (and there's plenty of reasons for both), his numbers don't lie. The man moves culture.
Kai Cenat: Twitch's Golden Child
With over 10 million Twitch followers and a subathon that broke the platform's all-time subscriber record (peaking at over 300K subs), Kai Cenat is arguably the face of modern Twitch. His 2023 was legendary—charity streams, celebrity guest appearances, and enough viral moments to fill a highlight reel that never ends. He's also one of the few streamers who transcends the gaming space; his collabs with everyone from 21 Savage to Bill Maher show crossover appeal that most creators would sacrifice their setup for. Kai on a Mount Rushmore isn't controversial—it's barely an opinion at that point.
Plaqueboymax: The Wildcard
Here's where heads turn. Plaqueboymax (often styled as PlaqueBoyMax) has been grinding in the streaming trenches, building a loyal following with a mix of gaming content, reactions, and personality-driven streams. While he doesn't have the mainstream recognition of Speed or Kai—yet—he's representative of that next tier of streamers who are this close to breaking through to household-name status. Putting him on the Mount Rushmore is either a massive W for Max or a sign that DDG needs to expand his viewing habits beyond his immediate circle. No disrespect to Max, who's clearly talented, but sharing a mountain with two of the biggest streamers alive? That's bold.
Who Got Snubbed?
Here's where the real conversation lives. If we're talking Mount Rushmore of streaming RIGHT NOW, where's xQc? The French-Canadian whirlwind has been a Twitch pillar for years and his Kick move was one of the platform's biggest signings. Where's Pokimane, one of the few women consistently in these conversations despite an industry that barely makes room for them? Where's Ninja, the blueprint himself who turned Fortnite into a cultural moment and proved streamers could be mainstream celebrities?
And if we're going global—which we should, because streaming isn't just an English-speaking phenomenon—what about the giants on Douyin and Kuaishou? Dong Yuhui (董宇辉) of East Buy / 东方甄选 has turned educational livestreaming into must-watch TV in China, blending poetry readings with product pitches in a way that's genuinely revolutionary. Xiao Yang Ge (疯狂小杨哥) dominates with comedy sketches that rake in millions of views. These creators move numbers that make Western streamers look modest, yet they're invisible in these Mount Rushmore discussions because of the language barrier.
The Real Issue: Mount Rushmore Season
Everyone's got a Mount Rushmore these days, and they're all equally meaningless—which is also what makes them perfect content. It's engagement bait dressed up as discourse, and DDG knew exactly what he was doing. Drop four names, watch the replies fill with “WHERE IS [MY FAVORITE STREAMER]”, rinse, repeat. It's the same playbook Kai and Speed use on stream: say something slightly controversial, let the chat cook, ride the algorithm boost.
And honestly? Good for them. In a creator economy where attention is currency and platforms like YouTube, Twitch, and Kick are constantly tweaking algorithms to keep creators guessing, manufactured discourse is a survival strategy. DDG's Mount Rushmore isn't really about who deserves to be there—it's about DDG staying in the conversation. And it worked, because here we are talking about it.
The Verdict
Speed and Kai are locks for any modern streaming Mount Rushmore—those aren't hot takes, they're room temperature facts. Plaqueboymax is a reach, but not an insulting one; dude has potential and a cosign from DDG doesn't hurt. The real question is who fills that fourth spot and whether DDG has the range to look beyond his circle.
My pick? Give me xQc for the fourth spot and call it a day. Drama, variety, longevity, and he literally helped put Kick on the map. But that's just one opinion in an ocean of takes—and isn't that exactly the point?
DDG's list isn't the definitive answer. It's the starting gun. Now everyone go make your own Mount Rushmore and let's keep this beautiful, pointless discourse alive forever. That's the creator economy way.