Containing genres of hip hop, pop rap, R&B, and soul, the song's lyrics reference slow jam artists and describes the role of lovermen.

While hosting a party which included Sean Combs,[3] Missy Elliott, the Neptunes, and Jay-Z, Jamie Foxx first encountered Kanye West, who was recovering from a car crash which shattered his jaw.

In a 2017 interview with Power 106, Foxx noted that his desperation to crossover to music led him to host parties with musicians he invited, hoping they would eventually collaborate.

[11] The lyrics allude to several lovermen who are "supreme in their seduction means",[25] and reference past slow jam artists such as Gaye, Vandross and Anita Baker,[20] in addition to R&B groups from the 1980s through puns.

[14] Caramanica praised the audacious execution of the "low-concept" song, stating that Foxx's inclusion on the hook should have been a car crash on paper, but was assisted by West's "keen ear for melody and near perfect sample selection".

[18] Soren Baker of Houston Chronicle stated that the song is a "crowning moment for Twista", and acknowledged that it "showcases his stunning delivery and flow patterns".

[15] However, Pitchfork staff writer Sean Fennessey criticized Twista's involvement in a review of Kamikaze, stating that West overshadowed him on the song.

[30] Writing for the same publication while reviewing The College Dropout, Rob Mitchum berated the song's extended version, which he described Foxx as "overkill" and Twista as "depleted".

He praised West's creative process of sampling the song, allowing Foxx to "go all out on the hook", and combining Twista's rhymes to create a "hip-hop soul masterpiece".

[12] Pitchfork staff ranked the song at number 12 on its Top 50 Singles of 2004 list, writing that it was "the reverse Midas track of 2004" and a "choice musical meta-fiction [sic]".

[32] Blender ranked "Slow Jamz" at number 327 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born, stating that it was "an old school celebration of [...] gettin' that booty!".

[38] In the United States, "Slow Jamz" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart dated February 21, 2004, where it remained for 22 weeks.

[51] British actor Riz Ahmed performed Twista's verse on the sixth season's first episode of American comedy-drama Girls on February 13, 2017.