Greg Cochrane from "NME" declared, "Any album which can boast a trilogy of brilliance like 'Heard Em Say,' 'Touch The Sky' and 'Gold Digger' is onto a winner." While he maintains the belief that "Late Registration" is home to misfires, Kyle Ryan of "The A.V. Club" wrote that they're outweighed by stronger moments like "Heard 'Em Say" and complimented the "elegant simplicity" of its musical composition. Amos Barshad of "FADER" cites the track as being part of a "suite of nested aural pleasures" on West's sophomore effort. He stated, "The delicate plinking of 'Heard Em Say' ... was undercut with the bitter sting of a politicized shoulder shrug." Alex Heigl for "People" asserted that the considerably nuanced lyrics retain obvious statements which reveal West's conflicted view on finance, calling it, "A clear-eyed, sober look at poverty and income inequality." Steve Jones from "USA Today" praised West's ability to "touch on social issues without making it seem like homework."