It was produced by Garbus and engineered by Eli Crews at New, Improved Studios in Oakland, California.

Tune-Yards also fleshed out the line-up to reflect the live shows, adding bass player Nate Brenner, who co-wrote some of the album's songs, and using horns on several tracks.

Thematically, Whokill is concerned with "power struggles that arise from inequity and lead to further cruelty and injustice,"[4] rooted in issues of privilege around race, gender and class.

Garbus changed the album's original working title (Women Who Kill) to its final released version as an expression of modern dissonance.

[21] The song "Gangsta" was featured in the TV shows Weeds, Orange is the New Black, Letterkenny, and The Good Wife.