I Hate U

This song finds SZA caught in a toxic relationship with an unworthy lover. It's a classic can't live with him, can't live without him scenario in which the singer is caught in an emotional tug-of-war. Though worn out by the way he treats her, SZA still misses her man when he's away and can't shake him off.

SZA originally posted "I Hate U" as an experiment alongside "Nightbird" and "Joni" on her secret Soundcloud account in August 2021. After a snippet went viral on TikTok, SZA officially released the full song on December 3, 2021. "Honestly this started out as an exercise," she said, "I just wanted somewhere to dump my thoughts without out pressure."

SZA wrote the song with its four producers. They are: ThankGod4Cody, who co-produced four tracks on SZA's CTRL album, including her singles "Broken Clocks," "Love Galore," and "The Weekend." Chicago multi-instrumentalist Carter Lang. He co-produced eight CTRL tracks and her "Good Days" single. Los Angeles-based producer Rob Bisel. He previously worked with SZA on her "Hit Different" single. Dylan "Sir Dylan" Wiggins, who also has writing credits on tracks by Solange ("Mad") and Calvin Harris ("Over Now").