Here's How 'Corn Kid' Got Everyone Singing About Corn
The vegetable is having a moment thanks to "Corn Kid."
Tariq, the CEO of corn.
Corn is back, thanks to one kiddo who captured the attention of the internet by expressing an extremely sincere love of the foodstuff.
If you're on TikTok and happened to notice a wild amount of corn-related content, here's some background. The "Corn Kid" meme involves a kid named Tariq, whose enthusiastic, short and sweet interview about corn (and pretty much nothing else) is worth seeing, if you haven't already.
Why is everyone talking (and singing) about corn?
Corn-related content first caught my attention in late August, when I scrolled through my TikTok "For You page" and noticed several videos using the same soundtrack -- a catchy song posted by TikTok account @schmoyoho.
I don’t know how I’m supposed to fall asleep with the corn song playing in my head all night.
— Elizabeth Gillies (@LizGillies) September 1, 2022
The song draws from an interview on Recess Therapy -- a web series that poses questions to kids. In that interview, which debuted earlier in August, host Julian Shapiro-Barnum holds a microphone close to a youngster named Tariq, who speaks ever so passionately about corn.
"I can't imagine a more beautiful thing," Tariq says.
@schmoyoho intro song for any meal/snack with corn 🌽 - from iconic interview on @doingthings ♬ It's Corn - Tariq & The Gregory Brothers & Recess Therapy
Tariq is missing a front tooth and wearing a shirt decorated with drawings of double-decker buses. He's gripping a half-eaten corn on the cob and takes a bite or two out of it during the interview.
Shapiro-Barnum asks him to describe corn. "A big lump with knobs," he says. Tariq offers that corn should cost $1 and wishes viewers a "corntastic" day.
As of this writing, the song version by @schmoyoho has 10 million likes. In videos using the tune -- of which there are more than 1 million -- people rank the lyrics, jam out and show off Corn Kid tribute art. There are musical theater, punk and emo versions. Even actor and musician Kevin Bacon got in on the trend, posting an acoustic version of the Corn Kid song that's quite a good listen.
@sam_caps I hope Pasek and Paul see this. Original song by @schmoyoho #corn #cornsong #cornkid #musicaltheatre #AEJeansSoundOn #WorldPrincessWeek #fyp ♬ original sound - Sam_Caps
@slapfightmusic Sorry, had to. #corntok #cornsong #cornkidsong #cornkidremix #cornpunk #punkrocksongs ♬ original sound - Slap Fight
The Corn Kid is on Cameo, where you can request a video for $220. He's been in a Chipotle advertisement. He is sometimes referred to as the CEO of corn.
Earlier this month, South Dakota named Corn Kid its official "corn-bassador." No one has ever been more appropriate for a job position.
@thechalkingdad I mean, look at this thing! 🌽 #cornsong #cornkid #corn #chalkart #chalk @Recess Therapy ♬ It's Corn - Tariq & The Gregory Brothers & Recess Therapy
Who is the Corn Kid?
Though Tariq has talked endlessly about corn, we don't know much about the kid behind the meme.
When he's not dropping quote-worthy bits about corn, he likes to play games like tag and hide-and-seek.
"I play a variety of games," Tariq says on Recess Therapy, "never lava monster."
How can I watch the original Corn Kid interview?
If you've heard the corn song and you want to watch Tariq's interview from early August, it's on Recess Therapy's YouTube channel.
A follow-up post provides even more Tariq content.
Corn is, once again, on the menu.