The song was released as the album's second single on November 26, 2002, by Island Def Jam and Carey's own label, MonarC Entertainment.

Considered by Carey as one of her favorites, the track is a reworked version of rapper Cam'ron's song "Oh Boy" released earlier that year.

Elsewhere, the song reached the top-ten in Portugal, and the top-twenty in Spain and the United Kingdom, while peaking within the top-forty in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Ireland and New Zealand.

The music video, directed by Joseph Kahn, incorporates elements of Japanese culture and features Carey's alter-ego Bianca Storm.

Following the release of "Through the Rain", Carey embarked on several stateside, European and Asian promotional tours in support of Charmbracelet, as well as its accompanying singles.

But as she tries to regain her audience, her greatest weapon may be her versatility: Ms. Carey also knows how to make a hip-hop hit by holding back and letting the beat shine.

[16] Michael Paoletta of Billboard considered it as one of Charmbracelet's stand-out tracks,[17] while Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani said "Boy (I Need You)", along with "You Got Me", "provide further evidence that Carey should keep her rappers on the remix.

"[18] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic noted that Carey did not "completely abandon hip-hop, but whenever it rears its head on Charmbracelet, it's utterly jarring" citing the song as an example, while describing the sampled vocal hook as "annoying".

[26] The video was likened to a "clear extension of Janet's "Doesn't Really Matter" for its similar settings and theme of Japanese pop culture.

[27] Following the release of "Through the Rain", Carey embarked on several stateside, European and Asian promotional tours in support of Charmbracelet, as well as its accompanying singles.

[28] During the album's month of release, Carey appeared on several television talk shows, launching her promotional tour on Today, where she performed a four-song set-list at Mall of America for a crowd of over 10,000.