Incorporating elements of hip hop and 1970s-style smooth jazz as well as soul music, it features a sample from the 1976 song "You Are Number One", penned by Zyah Ahmonuel and performed by The Whispers.

The song's music video, directed by Chris Robinson and shot at Miami's South Beach in April 2003, features Monica as one half of a dysfunctional relationship in which she prejudges her man to cheat on her.

[1] Recorded by Demacio Castellon at Hit Factory Criteria in Miami, Florida, the song was mixed by Scott Kieklak, while Marcella Araica and Javier Valeverde both assisted in the audio engineering of "So Gone".

"[5] Elliott protégé, singer Tweet, and frequent collaborator, rapper Busta Rhymes, joined the recording sessions to provide vocals for a remix version of the song, which was later also included as "Outro" on After the Storm.

Lewis Dene of BBC Music described the song as a "infectious 70s soul groove",[6] while Chuck Arnold from People magazine wrote in his album review that "So Gone", one of "three standout tracks produced and co-written by Missy Elliott, samples the Whispers' 1977 song "You Are Number One" to bring about a retro-soul reverie reminiscent of Aretha Franklin's 1972 hit "Day Dreaming".

[7] Los Angeles Times writer Natalie Nichols noted that "the obsessive love call of an unrequited female suitor and the tune boasts a hip hop beat from Missy Elliott production, with funky-to-humorous old-school touches including horns and vinyl surface noise.

"[8] Chuck Taylor from Billboard magazine felt that the song, "with its sparse, hip-hop-influenced" production and "vintage touches" was "instantly infectious".

[10] It was ranked fourth on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles 2003 year-end chart behind 50 Cent's "In da Club", R. Kelly's "Ignition (Remix)" and Aaliyah's "Miss You".

Outside North America, "So Gone" received a limited vinyl (12") release only, and as a result achieved minor success in non-U.S. markets.

The music video for "So Gone" was shot by director Chris Robinson, and produced by Dawn Rose for Partizan Entertainment.

[11] Actor Derek Luke co-stars as Monica's love interest, while producer Missy Elliott appears in a handful of scenes.