A-O-K

"A-O-K" is a song by American singer Tai Verdes. It was released on June 8, 2021, as the fifth single from his debut studio album "TV" via Arista Records. A remix featuring guest vocals from fellow American rapper 24kGoldn was released on September 10, 2021.

In a press release, Verdes explained that it "is just a song for anyone who wants to feel 2% better. I made it to help myself, and I hope that it's helping other people when they listen to it." He also expressed to The Music Network that the song "provide an uplifting message for listeners throughout the COVID-19 pandemic."

The song received two music video releases. The original version was released on May 19, 2021. The remix version with 24kGoldn was released on September 14, 2021, and directed by Logan Meis. In a backyard party, 24kGoldn and Verdes showcase their "eclectic styles and mischievous sense of humor reign free in a laid-back Sunday style". It includes "lemonade stands, pugs, and flamingos."

"A-O-K," meaning everything is in excellent order, is a US space-age expression. Here, Los Angeles singer-songwriter Tai Verdes uses the term to say no matter how life hits him, he will take it in stride. Verdes wrote the affirmative song with Martijn Konijnenburg, Brian William Brundage, and the track's producer, Adam Friedman.

The phrase "A-OK" dates back to at least 1952 when it appeared in an advertisement by Midvac Steels that read "A-OK for tomorrow's missile demands." NASA public relations officer Lt. Col. John "Shorty" Powers popularized the term during astronaut Alan Shepard's Freedom 7 flight on May 5, 1961, the United States' first manned space flight. Powers misheard a simple "OK" from Shepard as "A-OK" and relayed it to reporters and radio listeners.