 Conceived after a longer hiatus and a complete departure from her previous studio album "What You See Is What You Sweat" (1991), the album includes influences of 1990s hip hop as well as modern-day contemporary R&B and soul music.Throughout the project, Franklin worked with many famed hip hop producers and rappers, such as Lauryn Hill, Sean "Puffy" Combs, Jermaine Dupri, and Daryl Simmons.With the latter acts producing most of the album, "A Rose Is Still a Rose" deviated from the adult contemporary sound of Franklin's older work.