I Hate U (SZA song)

In 2017, SZA released her commercially very successful and well-acclaimed debut studio album, Ctrl. Critics throughout the years have credited it as being innovative within the R&B genre, and for establishing her as a major figure in contemporary pop and R&B music.^[a] SZA spoke in Ctrl variously about romance, desire, and self-esteem, often in a vulnerable tone, as well as the many ways in which emotions like jealousy and intense desire can greatly destroy them.^[8][9]

Facing issues with her label over the delay of her next album's release, SZA posted on Twitter in May 2020 to tell fans she was considering a "music dump".^[10][11] Hosted on SoundCloud, it would consist of several unreleased material she had created from the past six years.^[12] Three months later, on August 22, she uploaded three songs on the platform, under the guise of an anonymous SoundCloud account.^[13][14] After revealing the account was hers, she announced that her astrologist encouraged her to release the songs.^[15] The three songs were titled "Joni", "I Hate You", and "Nightbird"; on digital streaming platforms, the second is written as "I Hate U".^[16]

"I Hate U" has a lo-fi production.^[17] Vulture's Justin Curto labeled "I Hate U" a "groovy breakup song, anchored by SZA's lyrical directness",^[18] while Hayden Davies of Pilerats found it a "subtle and seemingly 90s-indebted take on SZA's sound, with a crunching production swaying amongst SZA's vocal".^[19] HotNewHipHop's Alexander Cole gave the song a "Very Hottttt" rating, complimenting the "dark production that complements the singer's voice perfectly", and noted, "throughout the track, she sings about a recent breakup and how she wishes things had played out differently".^[20] Ciaran Brennan of Hot Press said the song, along with "Joni" and "Nightbird", "showcases SZA's musical diversity", with the singer "switching up between passionate, emotional vocals and relaxed verses".^[21] Okayplayer's Robyn Mowat noted how the song "is filled with reflections on love, heartache and her headspace regarding a love gone wrong".^[22] NorthJersey.com's Jack McLoone deemed the track signature SZA, despite finding "her vocals on the chorus are more ethereal, while in the verses she skews closer to traditional R&B delivery with some clear hip hop influences.^[23] Naledi Ushe of PopSugar called it "a banger for all the heartbroken (past and present) people of the world".^[24] Comparing the song to Prince's "Eye Hate U" (1995), Jezebel writers said "a relaxed tempo and veritable yacht rock keyboard underscore lovelorn 'fuck yous' and the overarching idea of hating someone because you love them so much". They noted however, that "despite the song's title, it is not a kiss-off but a call back, praising the "nimble" hook.^[25] Billboard's Jason Lipshutz commended the song for showcasing "the vocal power that's made her such a captivating figure in mainstream pop and R&B".^[26] Similarly, HipHopDX's David Aaron Blake said, over the "wailing" synth and "lush" instrumental, is SZA's "uncontainable and booming voice".^[27] In a 2025 ranking of her discography, The Guardian critic Alexis Petridis rated "I Hate U" as her eighth-best song, with particular praise towards the composition.^[28]

Upon the release of "I Hate U” on SoundCloud, the song received a warm response from online fans and went viral on the video-sharing application TikTok. SZA decided to give it an official release, stating: "Honestly, this started out as an exercise. I just wanted somewhere to dump my thoughts without pressure. Y'all made it a thing and I'm not mad LMAO. Ask and you shall receive".^[29] After the song reached number 1 on US Apple Music, SZA revealed that "I Hate U" became an official single, posting on social media: "One thing about y'all: y'all gon' make it a single even if it ain't! I love you! Thank you!^[30][31] She also deemed the SoundCloud release an "experiment".^[29]

Following its official release, "I Hate U" debuted at number 1 on the United States's Spotify and Apple Music charts;^[32] it broke the record for the most streamed R&B song by a female artist on Apple Music in its first week.^[33] The song opened and peaked^[34] at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100; its first-week figures included 26.7 million streams, 4,600 downloads, and 485,000 airplay audiences. The song marked SZA's fifth top-10 entry on the chart and her second to debut in the top 10 after "Kiss Me More", with Doja Cat. On Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, "I Hate U" was her first number 1 song. Meanwhile, on Hot R&B Songs, it became SZA's second chart topper following "The Weekend" in 2018.^[35]

In late–March 2022, "I Hate U" reached number 1 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay; it marked SZA's first chart topper and the first female artist to top the chart since Megan Thee Stallion with "Savage" in 2020. A few weeks earlier, "I Hate U" became SZA's first solo song and her second overall to top the Rhythmic chart after "Kiss Me More" in 2021.^[36][37] On other Billboard airplay charts, the song peaked at number 33 on Mainstream Top 40^[38] and number 15 on the all-genre Radio Songs.^[39] On February 6, 2023, it was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and by 2025 it was certified 4× Platinum.^[40]

Elsewhere, "I Hate U" debuted and peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Global 200.^[41] On national charts, "I Hate U" peaked within the top 40 of New Zealand (8),^[42] South Africa (8),^[43] Canada (14),^[44] Australia (16),^[45] Ireland (27),^[46] the United Kingdom (38),^[47] and further reached Portugal (49)^[48] and Lithuania (63).^[49] It has received certifications from Australia (platinum),^[50] Canada (double platinum),^[51] New Zealand (double platinum),^[52] and the UK (gold).^[53]

A visualizer for "I Hate U" was released on January 7, 2022. The visualizer, directed by Jack Begert, centers around a man (played by actor Lakeith Stanfield) in a heated argument on the phone. After the fiery phone call, he finds himself alone walking along the beach trying to light a cigarette and failing to do so. He then receives a text from SZA that reads "i hate u", prompting him to hurl his phone in the ocean.^[54]

SZA included "I Hate U" during her headlining set at Glastonbury 2024, held on June 30.^[55]

Adapted from the liner notes of SOS^[60]

Recording and management

• Engineered at Westlake Studio A (Los Angeles, California)
• Mixed at Ponzu Studios (Los Angeles)
• Mastered at Becker Mastering (Pasadena, California)

Personnel