Paul Russell

Biography

Paul Russell, born in Atlanta and raised in North Texas near Dallas, discovered his passion for music early through playing the trumpet, participating in lunchroom rap battles, and learning ukulele to impress a crush. Initially pursuing political studies at Cornell University, he blended his interests by adopting the moniker 'Paulitics' to release music navigating young adulthood across trap hip-hop and acoustic folk. After graduating, he worked corporate jobs but created music as an emotional outlet, releasing tracks like 'Ms. Poli Sci' (over 27 million streams) and 'be that too' under this name, initially just for fun.[1][3][4]

Russell's career exploded in 2023 with 'Lil Boo Thang,' a funky '70s soul and R&B-infused track sampling The Emotions' 'Best of My Love,' which went viral on TikTok with 11 million views, leading to a deal with Arista Records (Sony Music). Written during a tough period of long work hours and self-doubt as an outlet for joy after quitting his job, it amassed over 200 million Spotify streams and earned TV appearances on The Graham Norton Show, Good Morning America, and Jimmy Kimmel. Now LA-based, he blends hip-hop, pop, funk, soul, and rap, defying genre constraints while emphasizing authentic, feel-good vibes.[1][2][3]

His style draws from 1970s soul and funk, with versatile rapping and singing honed from coffee shop ukulele gigs starting pre-2017, evolving through self-releases and TikTok. Russell aims to create soundtracks for life's best moments, promoting happiness and forward-looking optimism, with his star rising through global tours and protean artistry.[1][2][3]

Fun Facts

• Paulitics moniker combines 'Paul' and 'politics' from Cornell studies where others pushed him toward politics, but he chose music as his 'new politics.'[1]
• Lunchroom rap battles in middle school were so frequent the school administration shut them down, leading to phone recordings shared via text.[4]
• Learned ukulele because his crush played one; also played trumpet and battled rapped in Dallas childhood.[1]
• 'Lil Boo Thang' was made not knowing if the sample could clear, initially as a muffled demo over 1970s soul.[3]

Musical Connections

Key Collaborators

• Sean Cook - Producer who refined 'Lil Boo Thang' ('Lil Boo Thang') [2023]
• The Emotions (Maurice White, Al McKay) - Sampled 'Best of My Love' produced/written by them ('Lil Boo Thang') [2023]

External Links

• Spotify