It is an R&B, club, and West Coast hip hop song whose lyrics are about someone telling critics to mind their own businesses; Ashanti and Ty Dolla $ign also flirt with one another on the track.

Ashanti wrote "Say Less" with Ty Dolla $ign while working with him in a recording studio;[1] the song was produced by DJ Mustard.

[10] Carl Lamarre of Billboard wrote that the composition featured Mustard's "signature flavor",[2] while Trevor Smith of HotNewHipHop identified it as having a West-Coast hip hop sound.

[6] Brooke Marine of W wrote that "Say Less" is an example of the album's "slew of fun party bops that fit in with Ashanti's idea of empowerment".

[6] Ty Dolla $ign boasts about his wealth in the verses: "Young n---a got the pool with me / Make it rain, got a budget on me".

Praising the song's composition and Mustard's production as "catchy", Carl Lamarre wrote "Ashanti's dulcet vocals are sweeter than ever".

[7] Trevor Smith described Ty Dolla $ign and Mustard as "a proven hitmaking team", and wrote that they acted as "a strong support section" for Ashanti.

D-Money of SoulBounce.com praised "Say Less" as "the kind of frothy, club-ready R&B aimed straight for the mainstream", but criticized it for lacking "substance, memorability or staying power".

[5] On May 21, 2018, she performed "Say Less" on Good Day L.A..[27] In a 2017 interview with Billboard, Ashanti said a music video for the single was planned, and a preview clip was scheduled to be shown on Total Request Live.

[18][28] Throughout the video, Ashanti is confronted by media scrutiny, and Ty Dolla $ign makes minor appearances in several scenes.

[18] In the opening scene, Ashanti narrates: "Sometimes I feel like, 'Is it really all worth it, for people to attack you and judge you, without even knowing what kind of pain and suffering you might be going through behind closed doors?'".

[30] In the video, Ashanti reflects on her life while a television presenter discusses previous scandals involving her career.

[31] The reports include her interview with Joe Budden about a fan throwing money at her during a live performance,[29][31] the indictment of Murder, Inc., and allegations of a hit and run.

[30] Ashanti also watches television host Wendy Williams on her daytime talk show and looks at gossip websites.