Paul Russell, Lil Boo Thang | Track Review

Paul Russell repurposes a soul classic on his brief but infectious, potent pop single, “Lil Boo Thang.”

“You my lil boo thang / So, I don’t give a hoot what your dude say.” Woo, Paul Russell! He adds in the chorus of “Lil Boo Thang”, “I be shooting that shot like 2K.”  With “Lil Boo Thang,” Russell serves up a bite-sized record that clocks in under two minutes in duration.  Despite its brevity, this joint is infectious AF from the get-go.

“I’ma keep it real when your man long gone / If you’re looking for a friend then you got the wrong song.” So, what makes “Lil Boo Thang” epic? First and foremost, it’s the beloved sample that fuels the fire.  The no. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit by   The Emotions, “Best of My Love”, is utilized liberally.  Paul even go so far as to lift the lyrics, in addition to the recognizable instrumental.  Even relying heavily on a soul classic, Russell delivers an exuberant, memorable performance. He serves up plenty of personality – ample G-A-M-E: “To the back, to the front / You a ten baby girl, but I’m the one (Hey).” With no shortage of catchy lyrics, the crème de la crème – the crowning achievement – belongs to the chorus. Perhaps Russell says it best towards the end of the chorus: “Tell ‘em I’m. next / Tell ‘em you found a lil something too fresh.” WOO! “Lil Boo Thang” is giving four stars !

Paul Russell • Lil Boo Thang • Paul Russell / Arista • 8.18.23

[: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; Paul Russell / Arista; OpenClipart-Vectors, PIRO via Pixabay]