"What Have You Done for Me Lately" was penned for one of Jam and Lewis's own records, but the lyrics were rewritten to convey Jackson's feelings about her recent separation from James DeBarge in January 1985.

The song peaked at number four on the US Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The accompanying music video for "What Have You Done for Me Lately" was directed by Brian Jones and Piers Ashworth and choreographed by singer Paula Abdul.

[1] Jackson was initially reluctant to begin a recording career, commenting, "I was coming off of a TV show that I absolutely hated doing, Fame.

"[5] He subsequently introduced her to the songwriting and production duo James "Jimmy Jam" Harris III and Terry Lewis, former Prince associates and ex-members of The Time.

[6] Although Joseph Jackson initially demanded that his daughter's new album be recorded in Los Angeles so that he could keep an eye on her, Jam and Lewis refused.

[7] They required the entire production of the album to be done at their own studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota, "far from the glitter and distractions of Hollywood and the interference of manager-fathers.

It was the last song to be recorded for Control, and was ultimately chosen as the lead single for the album, as Jam and Lewis felt it best represented Jackson's outlook on life: "I think it was very representative of the sparseness and the funkiness that the rest of the album had and the attitude Janet had about being in control, being mature to the point where she had definite opinions about what she wanted to say".

[8] The song was inspired by one of her experiences in Minneapolis when a group of men made sexual advances towards her outside the hotel she resided at during the recording of Control.

[18] Ed Gonzalez from Slant Magazine commented, "Nothing sends me into a trembling, corner-cowering stupor than a giggly, under-enunciated Janet Jackson jam.

Rolling Stone's Rob Hoerburger expressed that "What Have You Done for Me Lately" erased the former "pop-ingénue image" of Jackson's first two albums.

[21] Connie Johnson from the Los Angeles Times gave the song a positive review, emphasizing her "spunky authority".

[22] Eric Henderson of Slant Magazine praised the song, calling it "female-empowering" and wrote, "'What Have You Done for Me Lately' predates TLC's 'No Scrubs' by over a decade".

[25] Nelson George in his book Post-Soul Nation: The Explosive, Contradictory, Triumphant, and Tragic 1980s called it an "instant dance anthem".

[26][27] For the 29th annual Grammy Awards of 1987, "What Have You Done for Me Lately" received one nomination for Best Rhythm & Blues Song but lost to Anita Baker's "Sweet Love".

[44][45] The accompanying music video for "What Have You Done for Me Lately" was directed by Brian Jones and Piers Ashworth and filmed in December 1985.

[47] Jackson shared in her book True You in 2011 that her recording company thought it was important that she appeared thinner in the video: "I'd been told that my whole life, but at this critical juncture, with my career taking off, I didn't have the wherewithal to argue.

Her boyfriend (played by Lana Houston) shows up with his friends, and Jackson decides to share her feelings about their relationship.

[50] While reviewing the video, Vanity Fair magazine said in 1986 that Jackson "might be Michael's androgynous twin in the sweep of her arm, the accusatory glare in her eyes, the collapsing diagonals of her dancing".

[52] She also performed the song live at the 29th Annual Grammy Awards in 1987, wearing an all-black outfit, along with Jam and Lewis and dancers.

[54] On the Janet World Tour which happened in 1993 and continued throughout the two following years, the song was the second to be performed along with "Nasty", with the singer wearing gold jewelry.

[11] The song was performed during a "frenzied" medley of "Control", "The Pleasure Principle", and "Nasty" on The Velvet Rope Tour in 1998.

After an interlude, Jackson made her entrance amid fireworks and theatrical smoke to perform the medley, while donning a Mohawk hairstyle.

[62][63] On the 2010 Essence Music Festival, held in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jackson included "What Have You Done for Me Lately" on the setlist, and performed wearing a one-piece outfit with leotards underneath.

[66] Writing for the Hartford Courant, Thomas Kintner pointed out that "six dancers joined [Jackson] to shimmy and gyrate through [...] the punchy 'What Have you Done for me Lately?'".

[69] Upon its debut, it was compared favorably to similar recordings of female empowerment released by black women, such as "New Attitude" by Patti LaBelle, "Better Be Good to Me" by Tina Turner and "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" by Aretha Franklin.

[71] In 2012, Mike Staver wrote in Leadership Isn't for Cowards: How to Drive Performance by Challenging People that "'What Have You Done for Me Lately?'

[72] "What Have You Done for Me Lately", in particular its title, was referenced in the 1987 film Eddie Murphy Raw, as a common question that women ask their partners prior to breaking up.

[74] American musician Prince started performing the track during his 1986 Parade tour stopping halfway through and asking the audience "Who wrote that?"

In 2017, WWE color-commentator Corey Graves referenced this song in his commentary for the pre-show match between Mojo Rawley and Zack Ryder during Clash of Champions.