▁Eb ▁Hay nes ▁of ▁All H ip H op ▁wrote ▁that ▁the ▁song ▁is ▁" em otion ally ▁high - power ed . ▁The ▁Boston ▁Glo be ▁Sarah ▁Rod man ▁noted ▁that ▁it ▁finds ▁Know les ▁in ▁" full ▁hell - h ath - no - f ury ▁mode ", ▁singing ▁with ▁g rit ▁and ▁ur gency ▁that ▁feel ▁genu ine . ▁A ▁critic ▁of ▁Billboard ▁magazine ▁viewed ▁" R ing ▁the ▁Al arm " ▁as ▁a ▁memor able ▁release ▁even ▁though ▁he ▁wrote ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁not ▁as ▁good ▁as ▁Know les ' ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁single ▁" C ra zy ▁in ▁Love ". ▁He ▁pra ised ▁her ▁dist orted ▁vocals ▁and ▁the ▁" rant ing ▁assault ▁of ▁a ▁ly ric ", ▁which ▁she ▁uses ▁to ▁conv ince ▁her ▁love ▁interest . ▁J ody ▁Rosen ▁of ▁Entertainment ▁Week ly ▁called ▁" R ing ▁the ▁Al arm " ▁tor rid , ▁and ▁wrote ▁that ▁Know les ▁" s ounds ▁posit ively ▁hor r ified ▁by ▁the ▁prospect ▁of ▁rel in qu ishing ▁the ▁lux ury ▁good ies ▁her ▁boy friend ▁has ▁bought ▁her ". ▁Brian ▁Hi att ▁of ▁Rol ling ▁Stone ▁stated ▁that ▁she ▁s ings ▁with ▁" en ough ▁fr antic , ▁qu aver ing ▁intensity ▁to ▁make ▁you ▁believe ▁she ▁really ▁is ▁cra zy ▁in ▁love ". ▁Mar cos ▁Ch in ▁of ▁V ibe ▁magazine ▁described ▁" R ing ▁the ▁Al arm " ▁as ▁" both ▁a ▁sexual ▁inv itation ▁and ▁a ▁threat ". ▁Dar ry l ▁Ster dan