The song contains a sample of "Boadicea" (1987) by Irish singer Enya, and its chorus is based on "Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide from Love)" by the Delfonics.

In the United Kingdom, it became the group's second chart-topping song on the UK Singles Chart, following "Killing Me Softly".

"[10] However, the singer reached an agreement with the Fugees to an out-of-court settlement after she realized that their music wasn't gangsta rap.

"[11] The situation was a learning experience for the group, who at the time were unaware of copyright clearance and unfamiliar with publishing procedures.

[11] The song's chorus is based on "Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide from Love)" by the Delfonics, which was an addition suggested by Wyclef Jean.

"[13] Larry Flick from Billboard felt the song was "far more representative of the act's vibe", and that "this cut nicely illustrates its lyrical strength as well as its talent for switching from smooth soul singing to sharp rapping within the space of a few seconds.

[15] Damien Mendis from Music Week's RM Dance Update rated it five out of five, commenting, "New Jersey's pride and joy retum with a soulful blend of rap, R&B and reggae.

The original radio version taken from their gold-selling album [...] already won fans due to its hypnotic use of the Delfonics' number 41 hit of 1971 'Ready or Not, Here I Come (Can't Hide from Love)'.

[17] A reviewer from Spin magazine described the song as "an eerily ambient flow of confused musings (Jean), confident harmonies (Hill), and immigrant pride (Michel), tapped insistently into your consciousness by a simple snare beat.

[19] In the annual Village Voice's Pazz & Jop mass critics poll of the year's best in music in 1996, it was ranked at number thirteen.

The video featured helicopters, explosions, sharks, chase scenes, and a price tag of 1.3 million US dollars.

[26] Lauryn Hill's verse in particular has been noted as precursor for modern melodic rap from singing-rappers like Drake and Young Thug.

[28][29] Journalist William E. Ketchum of Billboard, proclaimed that Hill "is largely considered as the greatest woman rapper of all time", and added that her verse on the song showcases "her bars on full display".

[30] Complex named it one of the best rap songs of 1996, and wrote "Like much of the East Coast hip-hop from the '90s, "Ready or Not" was rough around the edges, informed by the harsh realities of life in the ghetto.

But instead of relying on fictitious tough talk, the song harnessed that energy for positive, referencing the strength of Bob Marley, Muhammad Ali, and Haitian refugees passing through Guantanamo Bay.

[52][53] American rapper 50 Cent interpolated the chorus for his song "High All the Time", from his debut album Get Rich or Die Tryin' (2003).

[56] The song was covered by Will Ferrell, who portrayed George W. Bush during an episode of Saturday Night Live, in December 2015.

[61] Actress Gina Rodriguez received backlash after reciting the word "niggas" while singling along to the song in a video; she later issued a public apology.

[65] "Ready Or Not" was played during the final trailer for season two of the Marvel based Netflix series Luke Cage.

[67] American mixed martial artist Sean Soriano, used it for his walkout song during UFC Fight Night 198.