Cole originally recorded this song in 2007 in his bedroom, featuring three of his own verses. Drake got to hear the tune after it leaked onto the net and he texted Cole saying he loved it. The North Carolina rapper told the Toronto lyricist he had actually been thinking about reworking the song and according to MTV News Drake responded: "Save me 16."

Cole asked the song's producers, L&X Music, for the file containing the song's beat. He tweaked it with a breakdown and some other additions to "take it to the next level." Drake then sent Cole his verse and it finally ended up on his 2010 mixtape Friday Night Lights. He later included it as a track on his debut album Cole World: The Sideline Story.