Black and white photography is one of my favorite styles. I enjoy the simplicity of the technique and how it really brings out the subject being photographed. On that note, usually you want to try and keep the background simple for this style of photography. If you have a busy background, your subject may get lost in the setup due to the lack of colors.
All that stated, a reason I don’t generally set out to make a black and white photo is that color photos force you to consider so much more. Developing a good eye for color photos helps improve your skill to manage the few shades of color in a black and white photo. Remember, any style of photography you work with can improve your skill in another area.