Roddy Ricch revealed in an interview that the song was composed in late 2018, but Mustard wanted to keep it for his album, Perfect Ten, which he was still working on.
[10] Billboard's Heran Mamo noted that "in typical Hussle fashion", Roddy Ricch "narrates his life's hardships before delving into his newfound treasures".
Charles Holmes of Rolling Stone magazine called it "a song of the year contender",[11] while Complex and Billboard both named it as a "standout track" on the album.
[12][13] Pitchfork magazine included "Ballin'" in its list of The Best Rap Songs of 2019 and called it "the centerpiece of Mustard's underappreciated album Perfect Ten".
[18][19] On December 16, 2019, Roddy Ricch performed the song live, alongside an 8-piece orchestra, at Peppermint Club in Los Angeles[20] for Audiomack's Trap Symphony series.
[25] In 2023 AI covers of the song using models based on pop culture characters and real-world celebrities gained viral popularity.