[3] Bas wrote on Instagram about his initial reaction to the song when he arrived in Atlanta: "I had just landed from South Africa and went straight to the studio.

That was literally the first verse I recorded when I got to Atlanta after a 17 hour flight, J. Cole was tucked off with T-Minus finishing "Middle Child" and popped his head in [the room] like 'yes, I need parts.'

"[4]In February, Dreamville gave a live preview of the song after the All Star game – which J. Cole was the halftime show performer, during the free concert in Charlotte.

[7] Dreamville representatives used hotline phone number to talk to fans and also play some exclusive tracks from the label's compilation album.

[9] Complex named "Down Bad" as one of the best songs of the week, calling it a "rowdy, kick-in-the-door anthem ready-made for summer mischief"[10] and said the artists pack a ridiculous amount of energy into less than three minutes, beginning with a "tragically short verse" from Young Nudy and closing things with a "rapid-fire verse" from EarthGang's Johnny Venus.