Autobiographical in nature, the lyrics are a point of view account of a female protagonist, who sings cathartically about her mercurial temperament, following an inflammatory argument with her fiancé.

"Beggin & Pleadin" was generally praised by music critics who complimented Brandy's vocals as well as the progressive elements and retro sound of the song.

Not initially intended to be a marketed single, it was eventually released independently by Brandy, to coincide with the premiere of her BET television sitcom Zoe Ever After in January 2016.

[2] After finishing the filming of the final season of The Game, Norwood made her Broadway debut in the musical Chicago, where she played the lead role of Roxie Hart, beginning in April 2015.

[5] "Beggin & Pleadin" was written by Norwood, Ronald "Flippa" Colson, Warren "Oak" Felder, Kirby Lauryen, Steve Mostyn, and Andrew "Pop" Wansel.

[8] While the team discussed several ideas with Norwood, her wish to record a song with old school vibes and a heavy "dope ass beat," prompted Oak to come up with an original drumbeat.

"[9] On January 5, 2016, Norwood released "Beggin & Pleadin" for free streaming on her SoundCloud account, which coincided with the premiere of her romantic comedy television series Zoe Ever After on the BET channel.

[12] "Beggin & Pleadin" is a midtempo R&B song, which Norwood has dubbed as “trap-blues,” a combination of modern trap music sounds and traditional blues.

[17] Based on a real-life experience and the lesson it taught her, the song was inspired by Norwood's broken engagement to music executive Ryan Press, from whom she separated in early 2014 after a three-year relationship.

"[16] Slate magazine writer Laura Bradley wrote that Norwood's "powerful voice is at its best in "Beggin & Pleadin," which bubbles with bluesy emotion and syncopated tension.

"[20] Vannessa Jackson from Bustle magazine noted that "Beggin & Pleadin" signalled a "different sound for the artist", offering "a lot more of a bluesy and soulful feel than her previous music — and it's amazing.

[22] The Verge author Jamieson Cox considered "Beggin & Pleadin" a "grainy, lusty bit of blues that perfectly suits her rusty alto," further writing that the song it "might take you by surprise.

[24] The song has also been praised by musicians such as Erica Campbell,[25] Missy Elliott,[26] Jessie J,[27] Lil' Mo,[28] Monica,[29] LeAnn Rimes,[30] B. Slade,[31] Sam Smith,[32] JoJo,[33] and Tyrese Gibson.