Meet South Dakota’s ‘Corn-bassador’ Tariq, the ‘Corn Kid’

Corn-Kid officially named Corn-bassador Tariq, the “Corn-Kid,” became popular when an interview in the Instagram series “Recess Therapy” went viral. (NCD)

By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

It may be a bit corny to be taking a cue from viral videos, but now South Dakota has a new “corn-bassador” thanks to social media.

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Tariq made a name for himself and the summer barbecue staple — corn on the cob — after he went viral “singing” the praises of corn.

The official music video for “It’s Corn,” auto-tuned by The Gregory Brothers, had more than 3.4 million views since its release on YouTube on Aug. 28. The song was mixed after Tariq explained his love of corn during an interview at his local fair, saying that when he put butter on some corn, “everything changed” — just like Tariq’s life did — after becoming an internet celebrity, The Washington Post reported.

Tariq had gotten the attention of stars such as Kevin Bacon, who sang his own version of “It’s Corn,” sharing the clip on Instagram.

South Dakota is squeezing the last of the juice out of the viral video by making Tariq the face of what could be the state vegetable. If you didn’t know what that is — It’s Corn!

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Over the weekend, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem declared Tariq as the state’s official “corn-bassador” and with the position came the poppin’ perks such as visiting the state’s Corn Palace, a tribute to the grain, The Washington Post reported. Tariq got to take in all the displays as he kicked off his tenure as the state’s corn spokesperson.

Tariq is also harvesting the fame that goes with viral videos, appearing in a clip for Chipotle.

Tariq is also on Cameo, selling personalized videos that start at $220 each, the Post reported.

As for the success The Gregory Brothers have seen by taking clips and putting them to song, such as “It’s Corn,” they attribute it to finding the right content, among other factors.

“I think our videos are really about finding amazing moments on the Internet and celebrating them and amplifying them. They’re about highlighting other people’s interviews, original words. And I think that is what has given our videos staying power,” Andrew Gregory told NPR.


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