What is the difference between the American Use of "hate on" and "hate"?

According to Urban Dictionary, it is not so much about real hate, but about jealousy:

"To be jealous of another's success or talent. Note that the person being hated on must posess these qualities"

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hat...

I believe it is more slang than either ethnic or regional, although it might be considered "urban". Personally, I hear it in the younger generation, usually those with lower educational standards and little respect for others.

One can hate someone without outwardly demonstrating that emotion. To "hate on" someone is to openly and often violently display this hate towards a person or group of people. It has not yet been accepted as standard English usage, either in the UK or the US, but is frequently heard in urban areas, especially among the lower classes or those wishing to take on a lower-class affectation.

"Hate on" is not standard American English. I have never heard it. Perhaps if you gave a source it would be helpful. Perhaps it is a matter of degree.

In the same way that apparently there is a difference between hate and despise in British English. In his preface to Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw wrote: " It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him. "

I am British, from the south of England. I would call myself "middle class". Nobody that I know uses "hate on". We all use simple "hate".

And some questions here suggest that some Americans use "hate" (and possibly "hate on") very casually - to me "hate" is a strong word, not to be used without due thought.

"Hate on" is slang and should not be used in formal speech. As far as i'm concerned, they have the same meaning.

hate on seems to mean to me" bigotry" as in ration, religious, ethnic or group demonization