Big Sean and Queen Naija didn't just drop a song when they released Big Sean Hate Our Love back in 2022. They basically handed us a masterclass in how to flip a classic without ruining the original vibe. It’s a tricky game. You take a legendary Bobby Glenn track from the 70s, layer on some modern Detroit grit, and hope it doesn't sound like a cheap karaoke version.
It worked.
The track immediately started bubbling because it tapped into that universal "us against the world" feeling that everyone with a messy relationship history relates to. But why did this specific collaboration stick when so many other rapper-meets-singer tracks vanish into the Spotify ether after a week?
The Bobby Glenn Connection: Why the Sample Matters
You can't talk about Big Sean Hate Our Love without talking about Bobby Glenn’s "Sounds Like a Love Song." That 1976 soul heater is the DNA of this record. If that melody sounds familiar to you even if you aren't a crate-digger, it’s probably because Jay-Z used it for "Song Cry."
That’s a heavy legacy to step into.
When Mike WiLL Made-It and his team (including Carter Lang and others) sat down to produce this, they weren't just looping a beat. They preserved that high-pitched, ethereal vocal from Glenn that feels like it’s floating in the back of a room filled with incense. Sean’s choice to use this specific sample was a nod to hip-hop royalty while carving out a softer space for his own discography. Most people think of Sean as the "IDFWU" guy—loud, punchy, maybe a little frantic. Here, he slows it down. He lets the sample breathe. It’s a move that showed a lot of maturity in his sound.
Queen Naija was the perfect choice for the hook. Honestly, if you had put a more "pop" leaning singer on this, it might have felt forced. Her voice has that church-reared texture that matches the soulfulness of the 70s sample. She sings about people praying on your downfall, which is a theme she’s explored in her own solo work, making the chemistry between her and Sean feel authentic rather than a label-mandated pairing.
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Breaking Down the Lyrics: It’s Not Just a Love Song
The song title is a bit of a trick. It sounds negative, right? But the actual sentiment is about resilience. Sean opens up with lines about how people are literally waiting for the breakup announcement. He mentions the "comments" and the "blogs," which, let’s be real, is his actual life. His high-profile relationships with Jhené Aiko, Ariana Grande, and Naya Rivera have been tabloid fodder for a decade.
He’s not just rapping a script here. He’s venting.
"They'd rather see us apart than to see us together."
That line hits different when you realize how much the internet dissects every move he makes. The song explores the "vultures" in the circle—the friends who aren't really friends and the family members who might have an agenda. It’s a darker take on romance. It suggests that modern love isn't just about two people; it’s about defending the relationship against an audience.
The Production Magic of Mike WiLL Made-It
Usually, when you see Mike WiLL’s name on a track, you expect a bass-heavy club anthem that’ll rattle your rearview mirror. Think "Black Beatles" or "DNA." For Big Sean Hate Our Love, he shifted gears completely.
The drums are crisp but understated. They don't overpower the soul sample. The 808s are there, but they aren't distorted. This is "adult contemporary" hip-hop in the best way possible. It’s the kind of music you play on a late-night drive when you're actually thinking about your life choices.
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One thing that often gets overlooked is the bridge. The way the music swells and then drops back into that minimalist Bobby Glenn loop is pure tension and release. It mirrors the theme of the lyrics—the "hate" builds up, but the "love" keeps bringing you back to center.
Why Does Everyone Hate on Celebrity Love?
The song taps into a weird psychological phenomenon. Why do people actually hate on successful couples? Psychologists often point to "social comparison." When people see a "power couple," it can trigger their own insecurities about their relationship status or financial situation.
Sean and Queen Naija address this head-on. They describe a world where people are "counting your days." In the age of Instagram, where everyone is "shipping" or "canceling" couples based on a three-second clip, this song feels like a defensive wall. It’s an anthem for anyone who has had to tell their mother-in-law or their "bestie" to stay out of their business.
Comparing the "Song Cry" Legacy
Look, comparisons to Jay-Z are inevitable when you use this sample. In "Song Cry," Jay used the Glenn sample to talk about regret and losing a good woman because he was too focused on the streets. He was the villain in his own story.
In Big Sean Hate Our Love, the narrative is flipped. Sean and Queen are the victims of outside interference. They are the heroes trying to save the relationship from the "haters." It’s an interesting evolution of the same soundscape. Jay used it for an ending; Sean used it for a survival guide.
The Music Video and Visual Storytelling
The visual for the track, directed by Child, leans heavily into the "Detroit" of it all. You see the cold weather, the fur coats, the grit. It’s not a polished, sunshine-filled LA video. By setting it in Sean’s hometown, it grounds the song in reality.
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It makes the "us against the world" vibe feel more tangible. You see the community, the neighborhood tension, and the way gossip travels in a tight-knit city. Queen Naija looks at home there too, which makes sense given her own Michigan roots. The visual chemistry really sells the idea that they aren't just two stars checking a box—they’re two Midwesterners talking about real stuff.
What Most People Get Wrong About Big Sean
People love to put Big Sean in a box. They call him a "corny" rapper or focus only on his puns. But if you look at his trajectory from Detroit (the mixtape) to Better Me Than You, there’s a consistent thread of vulnerability.
Big Sean Hate Our Love is a key piece of that puzzle. It shows he knows how to curate a vibe. He isn't trying to out-rap the beat. He’s letting his flow sit inside the pocket. It’s confident. It’s the sound of a rapper who doesn't feel like he has to prove he’s the fastest or the cleverest anymore. He just wants to be heard.
The song also marked a specific era for Queen Naija. She was moving from "YouTube star who sings" to a legitimate R&B heavyweight. Getting a Big Sean feature on a track where she essentially takes the lead was a massive stamp of approval from the hip-hop community.
Practical Insights for Your Playlist
If you’re building a "Late Night R&B" or "Toxic But I Love You" playlist, this track is a cornerstone. But to really appreciate it, you should listen to it in context.
Start by listening to Bobby Glenn’s "Sounds Like a Love Song." Really hear that 1970s warmth. Then, listen to Jay-Z’s "Song Cry" to see how the sample was used for heartbreak. Finally, put on Big Sean Hate Our Love. You’ll hear the conversation between three different generations of artists all using the same four bars of music to express completely different emotions.
It’s also worth checking out the live performances. When Sean and Queen performed this on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the live band added a layer of soul that the studio version only hints at. It proved the song wasn't just a product of studio engineering—it has actual legs.
Actionable Next Steps for Music Fans
- Deep Dive the Sample: Go listen to the album Believe It by Bobby Glenn. It’s a masterclass in soul production that influenced more than just Sean.
- Analyze the Lyrics: Look at Sean's verses in "Hate Our Love" and compare them to his verses in "I Know" (with Jhené Aiko). You can see the shift in how he talks about his private life over the years.
- Support the Producers: Keep an eye on the work of Carter Lang. He’s one of the secret weapons behind SZA’s Ctrl and SOS, and his touch on the melodic elements of this track is what gives it that "timeless" feel.
- Curate the Vibe: If you like this track, look for "Detroit-style R&B" playlists. There’s a specific sound coming out of that region—cold, soulful, and honest—that this song captures perfectly.
The legacy of the track isn't just that it was a radio hit. It’s that it reminded everyone that Big Sean is at his best when he’s being human, and that the best way to move forward in music is often to take a very careful look at the sounds that came before you.