The song's chorus is a lift from "Loving" by reggae artist Half Pint, who is credited as a co-writer.

[3][5] It was released after singer Bradley Nowell's death in 1996 from a heroin overdose and became the band's biggest radio hit.

"What I Got" reached the number-one spot on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and was also a mainstream radio hit, peaking at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay chart.

It is ranked on Rolling Stone magazine's "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time" at number 83.

The video includes images of Long Beach, California, where the band met their success, as well as live footage from a Sublime show at The Capitol Ballroom in Washington, DC.