[4] Rae first teased "I Got It Bad" on social media in 2021, with demo versions then circulating online as leaks and going viral in the following year before its official release in 2023 with a reworked mix.
[5] It received positive reviews from critics, including Pitchfork, who deemed it a highlight from the EP and praised its early 2000s-inspired pop feel, drawing comparisons to Britney Spears, and Rae's delivery of lyrics that express infatuation with a "bad boy" to the point of obsession.
[9] Addison Rae initially teased various song snippets on her social media accounts while pursuing her music career following the release of her debut single "Obsessed" in 2021.
Originally intended for a larger project that was later shelved after the single's tepid reception, "I Got It Bad" and other songs were leaked in 2022 and subsequently went viral causing fan interest to grow in Rae's unreleased material and encouraged her to revisit the idea of releasing more music.
"[6][17] Liam Hess of Vogue described it as "a bona fide pop masterpiece with a welcome dose of weirdness," saying that it "recalls Britney at her peak, with an irresistible, swooping chorus and a juggernaut of a bridge.