Like "The Payback," "Papa Don't Take No Mess" was originally recorded for a rejected soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Hell Up in Harlem.
It features a jazzy beat produced by Erick Sermon and Redman himself, and contains samples from many songs, including "All Night Long" by Mary Jane Girls, "The Payback" by James Brown, "Tonight's the Night" by Raydio, and "A Few More Kisses to Go" by Isaac Hayes.