Songfacts®:

• This paean to the temptations of love and lust is a hip-hop take on the Biblical story of Adam and Eve. "Me and my bitch," raps Cole, "Took a little trip. Down to the garden. Took a little dip. Apple juice falling from her lips. Took a little sip."
• The song title is a phrase referring to any any indulgence or pleasure that is considered illegal or immoral especially illicit love. It is a reference to Genesis 2 v 15-17 where God gave Adam responsibility to take care of the Garden of Eden but told him not to eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. According to popular Christian tradition, the fruit was an apple, though it is not specified in the Genesis account.
• The song samples the Jazz organist Ronnie Foster's 1972 song "Mystic Brew." A Tribe Called Quest famously borrowed from the same song for their 1993 single "Electric Relaxation," which peaked at #65 on the Hot 100.
• The song features Kendrick Lamar on the hook. He is Born Sinner's only rapper guest feature, though his contribution is more singing than spitting.
• This was the last song recorded for Born Sinner and it was only included on the album as Cole's people couldn't clear the sample for another cut. The rapper's A&R representative Ibrahim "IB" Hamad recalled to Vibe magazine: "I don't even think Cole was planning on finishing that song until he played it for me and my reaction to the song gave him the boost he needed to actually finish it. When you're in the last few days before turning the album in you want to make sure you don't just add a song cause of its fresh energy. You don't want to get caught in the moment. You want to make sure it's worth it and our reaction to this song confirmed to him that it was special."
• Cole decided to push up the release date of Born Sinner from June 25, 2013 to June 18, to directly compete with Kanye West's Yeezus, which was released on the same day. He addresses his decision to go up against the rap superstar when he spits on this track, "I'ma drop the album the same day as Kanye. Just to show the boys the man now like Wanyá."