When I Grow Up was released by American rapper NF in June 2019 as a single from his fourth studio album, The Search. The track details his childhood dream of becoming a rapper against doubters, and its defiant chorus quickly resonated beyond hip-hop fans. It spread through YouTube edits and TikTok, where creators adopted it as shorthand for ambition and proving people wrong. The song's clean, high-energy production keeps it popular for motivational content years after release.