The song was written by both SZA and Lamar, along with Bobby DeBarge, Greg Williams, Anthony Jermaine White and Michael Uzowuru while production was handled by the latter two.
[1] A more braggadocious piece within her discography, "30 for 30" allows SZA to "bask in her accomplishments" accentuated with "soaring strings and booming 808's".
[2] The song starts off with a spoken-word sample, taken from the R&B/funk band Switch song "I Call Your Name", with lead singer Bobby DeBarge admitting to indulging in "immature things" as well as "painful doubts and insecurities"; all of which SZA tries to leave behind as old patterns all the while being "candid" and "direct" about it.
[8] In a ranking of all tracks from Lana, Billboard writer Mackenzie Cummings-Grady placed "30 for 30" fourth, citing the song as another example of how both artists "bring out the best in each other".
Cummings-Grady thought Lamar's "cocky" style effectively rubbed off on SZA and encouraged her to achieve her own "victory lap".