SZA fans everywhere rejoiced when she officially unleashed “I Hate U” on streaming services back in December, as the lyrics have already been widely used on social media weeks prior. Today (Jan. 7), the momentum keeps rolling as she presents the official visualizer for the track, and it stars none other than LaKeith Stanfield. The renowned actor expertly portrays the emotion from the lyrics:
I be so sick of you n***as, y’all contradicting, I be so bored with myself, can you come and fuck me?/ I feel so ordinary, sad when you around me, treat me like corduroy, wear me out/ Arguments, you air me out, trippin’ ’bout your whereabouts
The simple yet effective visual opens up with a scene of LaKeith sitting in a car by the shore before he exits the vehicle, noticeably upset. As the argument gets more heated, his anger gets the best of him as he hangs up and then walks towards the water to blow off some steam. His frustration is still brewing inside him, and it doesn’t help that SZA officially hits him with the “I hate you” text. Fans have much to look forward to however, as the video finally ends on a cliffhanger with the words “NOT THE END” on the screen.
It’s been four years since SZA released her debut LP Ctrl, a 14-track body of work that featured collaborations alongside Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, James Fauntleroy, and Isaiah Rashad. The project was both a massive critical and commercial success, earning widespread acclaim and scoring SZA a top three position on the Billboard 200 thanks to 60,000 first-week album equivalent units sold. Ctrl has also since crossed the double Platinum mark, making SZA a true R&B frontrunner within the current generation.
Be sure to press play on the official “I Hate U” visualizer down below.