I Hate U

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Lore & Background

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". Hosted on SoundCloud, it would consist of several unreleased material she had created from the past six years. Three months later, on August 22, 2020, she uploaded three songs on the platform, under the guise of an anonymous SoundCloud account. After revealing the account was hers, she announced that her astrologist encouraged her to release the songs. The three songs were titled "Joni", "I Hate U", and "Nightbird"; on digital streaming platforms, the second is written as "I Hate U". 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". 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!" She also deemed the SoundCloud release an "experiment".

In Their Own Story

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.

Reader's Guide

"I Hate U" entered at number 7 on the United States's Billboard Hot 100, where it became SZA's fifth top-10 entry. It also peaked within the top 40 in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. The song received certifications from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US. Following its official release, "I Hate U" debuted at number 1 on the United States's Spotify and Apple Music charts; it broke the record for the most streamed R&B song by a female artist on Apple Music in its first week. The song opened and peaked 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. 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. On other Billboard airplay charts, the song peaked at number 33 on Mainstream Top 40 and number 15 on the all-genre Radio Songs. 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. Elsewhere, "I Hate U" debuted and peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Global 200. On national charts, "I Hate U" peaked within the top 40 of New Zealand (8), South Africa (8), Canada (14), Australia (16), Ireland (27), the United Kingdom (38), and further reached Portugal (49) and Lithuania (63). It has received certifications from Australia (platinum), Canada (double platinum), New Zealand (double platinum), and the UK (gold). SZA included "I Hate U" during her headlining set at Glastonbury 2024, held on June 30.

Did You Know?

• "I Hate U" was originally uploaded to SoundCloud on August 22, 2020, under an anonymous account, before being officially released on December 2, 2021.
• SZA's astrologist encouraged her to release the three songs she uploaded to SoundCloud, which included "I Hate U".
• The visualizer for "I Hate U" stars actor Lakeith Stanfield, who hurls his phone into the ocean after receiving a text from SZA reading "i hate u".