In the video, Fantasia sings and dances in a barbershop and in front of a neon sign and Big Boi performs his verses.

[1][3] In her biography of Fantasia, Liz Sonneborn wrote that the singer "purposely cultivated a more daring sound" on her follow-up record.

[12] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called it a modern interpretation of Ike & Tina Turner's music,[1] and AXS's Kareem Gantt described the track as "a buffet of neo-soul mixed in with hip-hop".

[14] "Hood Boy"'s lyrics explore Fantasia's attraction to thugs, and Erlewine compared the song to Destiny's Child's 2004 single "Soldier".

[17] Critical reaction to "Hood Boy" was positive, with Kareem Gantt including it on his list of top ten Fantasia songs.

[15] Stephen Thomas Erlewine praised the singer's performance, writing that she "remakes herself into a vibrant, vital diva".

[2] Henry Goldblatt of Entertainment Weekly described "Hood Boy" as 2006's strongest R&B release,[12] and Michael Slezak called it "infectiously funky" and an "electrifying romp".

[18][19] Clover Hope of Billboard praised Fantasia's connection to the song, calling the tracks on more mature subjects "right up [the singer's] alley".

[24] A music video for "Hood Boy", directed by Norwegian photographer Ray Kay, premiered on November 30, 2006, on BET.

"[25] In the video, Fantasia performs in front of a pink neon sign displaying her name; Michael Slezak compared the scene to Roxie Hart in the 1972 musical, Chicago.