Where Are They Now? Here's What Tay Zonday, The 'Chocolate Rain' Guy, Has Been Up To Since His Viral Video

At one point in 2007, Tay Zonday had the most listened-to original song on YouTube. The grainy, yellow-tinted video showed the young Black man singing into a microphone with a deep baritone voice, turning away from the mic every once in a while to take a breath before he belted out the chorus to his song, "Chocolate Rain."

The DIY video became a viral hit before "going viral" was even a thing people could aspire toward, quickly cementing itself as one of the most classic viral videos of the early internet era.

Zonday's "Chocolate Rain" quickly became more than just a catchy tune that got caught up in early YouTube's recommendation system. The cryptic song became the subject of parodies, remixes and memes galore, launching its creator into the digital stratosphere, whether he was prepared for it or not.

The song Tay Zonday intended as an allegory for racial injustice became flattened into an internet meme, leaving Zonday reeling with a lifetime of fame he still appears to be learning to come to terms with.

Eighteen years after his video, Zonday has largely stepped away from the limelight to pursue his own passions. Here's a look at Adam Bahner, better known as Tay Zonday, nearly two decades after the release of "Chocolate Rain."

Who Is Tay Zonday and How Did He First Go Viral?

Before Tay Zonday became an internet sensation, he was Adam Bahner, a Minnesota native trying to balance his academic and creative life. In 2007, Bahner was three years into a Ph.D. in American Studies, a field he describes as "history with extra flavors."

A hobbyist musician, he frequented open mics in the Twin Cities, often dragging a hefty keyboard and amplifier through brutal winters to share his craft.

Recognizing YouTube’s potential to reach broader audiences, Bahner created the persona "Tay Zonday" to create a YouTube channel and separate his musical ventures from his academic aspirations.

In April 2007, he then uploaded “Chocolate Rain,” a self-produced ballad with an infectious melody and evocative lyrics. In a few months, what began as an experiment in sound and self-expression transformed into something much greater.

People on 4chan became obsessed with the video a few months after its release, but Tay Zonday isn't sure if many of those early ironic fans really cared about the message behind his tune. Instead, they were drawn to the bright yellow, overexposed tint on Zonday's video, his deep baritone voice and his unusual delivery.

The funniest part of the clip for most people was how Zonday repeatedly moved away from the mic to breathe, something he made a point to explain toward the start of his video.

The song was remixed and parodied to no end in the weeks it went viral. From John Mayer to Greenday's Tre Cool, celebrity covers of the song began popping up online in droves, each variation chalking up more views than the last.

The video itself gathered millions of views before the year ended (a particularly notable feat on early YouTube), thrusting Bahner, a self-professed introvert with autism spectrum disorder, into a maelstrom of attention.

While "Chocolate Rain" was his ticket to fame, Zonday himself was unprepared for the tidal wave of public scrutiny and adoration that followed.

What Was "Chocolate Rain" About, And How Did Tay Zonday React To His Initial Fame?

At first blush, “Chocolate Rain” might seem like an oddball viral hit. Its hypnotic piano riff and cryptic lyrics – delivered in Zonday’s unmistakable bass – made it an instant earworm.

Some early publications even referred to its drum loop as "cheesy." Yet beneath its quirky veneer, the song carried a profound message.

The song was a stark allegory about race and oppression in the modern world, with lines like, "Chocolate rain made me cross the street the other day / The same crime has a higher price to pay / Every February is washed away," pointing to the lingering effects of systemic racial injustice and the half-hearted efforts society makes to resolve it.

In a 2021 interview with Know Your Meme, Tay Zonday described "Chocolate Rain" as a metaphor for systemic injustices that go unnoticed by the privileged but profoundly shape marginalized lives. Zonday’s decision to let listeners interpret the song’s meaning added to its mystique, encouraging audiences to engage with its layers.

After memes, parodies and remixes flooded platforms like 4chan and YouTube, Zonday was propelled to mainstream fame in short order. He made media appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live, was parodied on South Park, and even sang a remix of his song in a commercial for Dr. Pepper.

Zonday also notably shot a Vizio commercial with Beyoncé in 2010, three whole years after the height of his fame. It's the kind of internet meme longevity that's unfathomable in today's digital landscape, but 15 years ago, Zonday was sharing a frame with the world's biggest pop star at the Super Bowl.

While the spotlight brought opportunities, it also magnified Zonday’s internal struggles. Diagnosed with autism at 15, he later reflected on how fame amplified his challenges, describing his experience being towed from stage to stage as feeling like "a kayak carried forward by a fast-flowing current." Zonday embraced the chaos with gratitude, though he now feels out of sync with the public’s perception of him.

What Is Tay Zonday Up To Now, And Where Can His Fans Find Him Today?

Reflecting on the evolution of the internet since his first brush with fame, Tay Zonday has commented on its shift from a "novelty economy" to one driven by loyalty and algorithmic addiction.

Despite his discomfort with how platforms now prioritize profitability over creativity, Zonday remains an advocate for the democratizing power of digital platforms, even as he navigates his ambivalence about whether his fame has had a net positive impact on his life.

Social progress and upheaval in recent years have led more people to come to terms with the gravity of "Chocolate Rain's" message.

Back in 2018, Zonday sat down with BET for a video titled, "Tay Zonday’s 'Chocolate Rain' Was More Woke Than We Realized," during which he got a chance to speak about the message behind his song and his experience dealing with early internet fame.

Nearly two decades after his viral debut, Tay Zonday remains a fixture of internet nostalgia while still carving out a quieter creative path for himself.

Beyond “Chocolate Rain,” he has pursued voice acting. In 2020, he lent his voice his his friend Rich Arena's Adult Swim project Gemusetto Machu Picchu, made in collaboration with Franco-American voice actor Maxime Simonet.

Zonday also continued to create content on YouTube, even posting a remastered version of "Chocolate Rain" on the song's tenth anniversary back in 2015. But Tay doesn't post on YouTube as often as he used to, save for the occasional socially conscious zinger he drops every few years.

Zonday sometimes streams himself playing video games on Twitch @TayZonday, where he's gathered over 40,000 followers.

Tay Zonday also has an Instagram where every May he posts a birthday photo looking the exact same as he did back in 2007.

This, combined with statements given by Tay in recent interviews, makes it seem like Zonday is ready to embrace a more low-key and relaxed lifestyle nearly two decades after his initial rise to fame.

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For the full history of Chocolate Rain, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information. To see the rest of our "Where Are They Now" series, you can find them all here. Stay tuned for next week's editorial!

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