The song was written by Carey, Robert "Shea" Taylor, Priscilla Hamilton, Mason Betha and Camron Giles.

Since the song samples American rapper Lil' Kim's 1997 single "Crush on You", she received writing credits with Christopher Wallace and Andreao Heard.

[1][2] "A No No" is a hip hop and R&B song with a blithely dismissive chorus and frisky beat, making use of a sped-up version of the instrumental and the Notorious B.I.G.

[8][11][12] During her appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen in November 2018, Carey revealed that she hoped to remix "A No No" with Lil' Kim and Cardi B.

Later that month, the song's producer Jermaine Dupri began teasing the remix and Missy Elliott's involvement on social media.

[16] Writing for Vibe, a critic stated that Don "was the perfect addition to the track", and added that she "provides her infectious rhymes and flow" to it.

[17] Chantilly Post of HotNewHipHop wrote "Stefflon makes her presence known at the top of the beat and then comes in for the second verse spitting her British/patois bars".

[21] Idolator's Mike Wass opined that "A No No" was the most instant track from its parent album, and speculated that it was an ode to her ex-manager Stella Bulochnikov.

[22] Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone wrote that with the song, Carey shows "that she can translate her quick wit into pop gold", and "spells out extremely over this person she is, delivering insults in acrobatically sung runs".

It displays the lyrics in white, black and pink fonts, and features animated pictures of snakes, scissors, islands and jewelry.

[31][32][33] The music video features additional vocalizations which do not appear on the album version, sung by Carey in a whistle register.

Rolling Stone's Althea Legaspi and Daniel Kreps wrote that she "seemed to battle monitor and pitch issues at times", but "still showcased her astounding range during the elegant set, which featured backing from tux-clad dancers, gospel singers and an orchestra".