 The album incorporates musical references to both older and contemporary hip hop. Its production features live instrumentation, orchestral music, R & B, and boom bap elements. Music journalist Evan Rytlewski denotes "boom-bap drums, lush keyboards, smooth saxophones, and the occasional Run-D.M.C. and MC Shan sample" to be "tasteful accents" from golden age hip hop. Ryan Hamm of Under the Radar views that Remi and No I.D.'s production "lean [s] toward opulent and epic", while Pitchfork Media's Jayson Greene writes that the latter's produced songs "exude the warm TV-fireplace crackle of ... throwback production." Anupa Mistry of Now writes that "boom bap classicists Salaam Remi and No I.D. weave a raw, funky, orchestral lattice customized for Nas's age-appropriate raps".
