Critical Reception
The song received a mixed reception from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic negatively reviewed the song, writing: "her only attempts at street-cred are on the laughable lyrics to "Jenny From the Block," where she insists that success hasn't spoiled her yet and she's the same ol' Jen she's always been" and stated that the song is "silly". Sal Cinquemani from Slant said that called the song "infectious" and noted that: "Lopez tries to convince us she's still lil' Jenny Lo from the Bronx, is structured around a chunky casserole of samples including." Jon Caramanica, from The Village Voice, was more cynical with the song, saying: "'Jenny From the Block' continued the conceit of "I'm Real", from her last album, J.Lo, and "I'm Gonna Be Alright". Using the same flute sample the Beatnuts flipped for "Off the Books", a genuine Boricua classic (really, she researched it!), as well as a steady diet of "South Bronx!" yelps pulled from the Boogie Down Productions anthem of the same name, Jenny aims to fast-talk herself into authenticity. It matters not that guest rappers Styles and Jadakiss are from Yonkers, not the Bronx, or that the most humble thing about the accompanying video is, well, Ben Affleck."
James Poletti from Yahoo! Music was also negative, naming the song "agonising" and said that "this is a track so insulting in its cynical appropriation of hip-hop culture that you almost fail to notice that lyric: 'Used to have a little / Now I've got a lot / I'm still Jenny from the block.'" Tom Sinclair from Entertainment Weekly was more favorable, saying "On Jenny From the Block, Lopez insists that fame hasn't changed her, and seduced by the breezy pleasure of her new music, we're almost inclined to believe her". It was also listed as #93 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever by Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio, commenting that Lopez is "just your average girl, willing to risk a national TV gig over the size of her 'dressing-room compound.'"
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