Meaning of “Hated” by YUNGBLUD

“Hated” is a song which Locomotion Records released on 24 August 2023. Yungblud teased it the day prior in a very-unusual way, by announcing to the world, via Twitter, that “when (he) was seven years old (he) was molested by a doctor”. 

In the process, he admitted that he “never told anyone” except apparently the producer of this song (who is Paul Meany). So this track is in part inspired by that experience, and accordingly the singer has described it “the most personal thing (he’s) ever released”.

So what we are met with initially is akin to a soliloquy, i.e. Yungblud sorta portraying the role of a therapist or someone who is interested in the life trajectory of the addressee, with said addressee being a younger version of himself. 

And in the first verse he gets blunt about the aforenoted experience, basically recounting that the doctor “took (Yungblud’s) little d*-k out” and “put it straight down his throat”. His mom was also present (but didn’t witness the incident) and was able to pick up that something was wrong with her song. 

But Dominic, apparently being in shock, didn’t have the wherewithal to tell her that he was molested. So the way he sees it is that it’s only now, upon hearing this song some 20 years later, that she will discover the truth and furthermore why Yungblud has come to “never trust a guy in a tie and a coat”.

Meanwhile, the second verse points to the types of criticism that he has faced due to his brash style as a musician.  In highlighting the types of arguments his critics tend to make, Yungblud is as unapologetic as ever. 

But he also seems to put forth that he feels it is his responsibility as an artist “to f*ck with the fearful” and get “the Catholics tearful”. In other words, he perceives it as his musical responsibility to make the status quo uncomfortable.

The third verse then centers on Yung’s less-than-ideal relationship with his sister. As told, while he was out touring North America, he “outed her in a magazine” – an act of exposure which she let him know pissed her off. 

The singer actually has two sisters, Jemima and Isobel, and it is revealed in the bridge that follows that it is the former, who is known not to be fond of the spotlight, whom he’s referring to. 

So what Yungblud had to deal with in the aftermath was not only lil sis’s displeasure but also the internal realization that while keeping in real, as is his modus operandi, he developed a tendency to expose his family and friends.

The chorus of this song is also quite interesting. In the pre-chorus, Yungblud alludes to Hated being, as we sorta implied earlier, akin to a therapy session for him. That is to say that instead of ‘burying’ his pain “deep down”, as his “daddy did”, he decided to take the traumatizing events mentioned and turn it into a phat song. That said, we also hope that his father, Justin Harrison, doesn’t get upset for being shouted out like that.

Meanwhile, the actual chorus states that “you gotta kill somebody to be somebody”. In context, what it appears the singer is saying via that statement is that one must ruffle some feathers if he or she intends to be successful.

“You gotta kill somebody
To be somebody
To bе who you want to be
You gotta hit rock bottom
To live through all the s–t nobody believes
You’re gonna hurt some people
But first some people will thirst on watching you bleed
And that’s when you know that you made it
You made it
When you’re hated”

Besides that, he also alludes to success being an endeavor which requires resiliency. And once you exemplify that type of moxie, people will start hating on you. But that hatred is a sign that “you made it”, i.e. have proven successful.

So this is an interesting song on a number of levels, especially if you’re a listener who’s genuinely interested in Yungblud’s psyche. That is to say that there’s a whole lot going on in this piece. 

Going back to the singer’s own explanation, “Hated” “is ultimately about freeing yourself from bad experiences and trauma, finding inner strength, acknowledging our past, accepting the pain and having the courage not to let it define your future”.

But based on what’s actually being relayed in the lyrics, let’s conclude by saying that the artist at hand is presenting himself as someone who isn’t regretful. Whether someone has offended Yungblud (i.e. the doctor) or he has offended someone else (i.e. his sis), he has learned to take it all as growth. 

But concerning the “hated” component of the song, that reads more along the lines of him recognizing that along with success and the notoriety it brings also comes the haters.

THE TEAM BEHIND “HATED”

Yungblud is credited with penning this piece himself, in conjunction with Jake Torrey, Adam Warrington and the aforementioned Paul Meany. And the directors of this track’s music video are Sandeep & Chadrick.