"Down Bad" is a song by American record label Dreamville featuring performances by American rappers J. Cole, JID, Bas, Johnny Venus of EarthGang, and Young Nudy, released on June 12, 2019 alongside "Got Me" as the dual second single from the label's 2019 compilation album, Revenge of the Dreamers III.
The song was created on the first day of Dreamville's sessions for the compilation album. Bas wrote on Instagram about his initial reaction to the song when he arrived in Atlanta:
In February, Dreamville gave a live preview of the song after the All Star game â which J. Cole was the halftime show performer, during the free concert in Charlotte. In May, JID also gave fans a snippet of the single during his set at Miami's Rolling Loud Festival.
Under the EP 1-888-88-DREAM, the single was released with "Got Me" on June 12. The EP's title is referencing the "1-888-88-DREAM" phone number that Cole used to announce the original Revenge of the Dreamers in 2014. Dreamville representatives used hotline phone number to talk to fans and also play some exclusive tracks from the label's compilation album.
According to Genius, the song's "underlying beat is highly reminiscent" of "Rebel Without a Pause" by Public Enemy, although it is not a direct sample of the song.
The official music video of the song was filmed in Atlanta, Georgia, and was uploaded on YouTube on October 22, 2019.
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" 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.
"Down Bad" originally peaked at number 75 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Following the release of its parent album, Revenge of the Dreamers III, the song reached a new peak of number 64. On November 22, 2019, the song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Credits and personnel adapted from Tidal.