Only in Amerika

The music of Only in Amerika incorporates elements of hip-hop, hardcore punk and heavy metal.[5] AllMusic's Johnny Loftus wrote that Only in Amerika is a "thrash-hop spew [which] takes cues from Anthrax, Korn, Dirty South, pre-acting career Ice-T, and the uncompromising Psychopathic Records collective."[6]

Jared Gomes later revealed that the brash, offensive lyrical content was an intentional backlash against the more commercial and radio-friendly sound of Blackout, the band's previous album, which Gomes said was the product of Jive Records trying to shape the band into a mainstream act and shift its sound away from its punk rock roots.[7]

According to Gomes, "With Only in Amerika, I was trying to push buttons and provoke people. I was exercising my right to freedom of speech".[7]

Gomes expresses nationalist themes in the song "War",[6] and elsewhere on the album, calling for retaliation against Al Qaeda for the 9/11 terrorist attacks. These sentiments are reiterated in the tracks "Wake Up" and lead single "Represent". In the bridge of the latter song, Gomes shouts-out John Hancock, Bob Marley, John F. Kennedy, and Malcolm X, among others. Lyrical themes on Only in Amerika primarily consist of sexual intercourse, clubbing, block parties, cannabis and alcohol consumption, angst, and lead rapper Jahred's resentment of pop-punk and censorship (namely that of the FCC and the "corporate faggots" at Jive Records), voicing his indignation toward the state of the music industry at large.

Jahred also makes several pop culture references throughout the album's lyrics, particularly to the O. J. Simpson affair, Trench Coat Mafia, Nick Berg, Nancy Reagan, Shaq, Mary-Kate and Ashley.

"Amerikan Beauty" interpolates a line from N.E.R.D.'s 2001 single "Lapdance". On the track "The Box", Jahred references the Bob Marley and the Wailers songs "Get Up, Stand Up", "Burnin' and Lootin'", "No Woman, No Cry", and "Three Little Birds" .

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[6]
Blabbermouth.net	[2]
Melodic.net	[8]

In his review of the album, AllMusic's Johnny Loftus wrote that Only in Amerika "wants to be a confrontational megaphone in the ear of conservatives, but Jahred's torrential rhetoric is too messy and blatantly offensive to incite anything but superficial anger, and the music -- though occasionally explosive -- takes a backseat to the ranting."[6]