Baby (Is It a Crime)

Last updated

"Baby (Is It a Crime)"
Rema - Baby (Is It a Crime).png
Single by Rema
Released7 February 2025
Genre
Length2:44
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) P.Priime
Rema singles chronology
"Fi Kan We Kan"
(2024)		"Baby (Is It a Crime)"
(2025)		"Bout U"
(2025)
Music video
"Baby (Is It a Crime)" on YouTube

"Baby (Is It a Crime)" is a song by Nigerian singer and rapper Rema. It was released as a single through Mavin Records and Jonzing World on 7 February 2025. The song was written by Rema alongside Stuart Matthewman, Sade Adu, P.Priime, and Andrew Hale, while production was handled by P.Priime. [1] As of February 2025, the song is the most streamed Nigerian song to be released in 2025, on Spotify. [2]

Contents

Background and release

The song's creation began in 2024, following the release of Rema's second studio album, Heis . Rema first teased the song in November 2024. [3] On 4 February 2025, two days after the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, Rema announced the song's release date on his Twitter account. [4] The song was officially released on 7 February 2025. [5]

Composition

"Baby (Is It a Crime)" was written by Divine Ikubor, Andrew Hale, Helen Folasade Adu, and Stuart Collin Matthewman, [6] [7] and produced by P. Priime. [8] The song samples "Is It a Crime?" by Sade, from their 1985 album Promise . [9] [10] Rema delivers the lyrics of "Baby (Is It a Crime)" in a harsh and cool tone, initiating the narrative by confessing his love for a girl he has apparently just met. [11]

Critical reception

Rolling Stone named the song one of the standout tracks of 2025 so far, praising its cool and nonchalant vibe, which contrasts with the more intense tone of the album. Fans had been eagerly awaiting the Sade-sampling song since Rema teased a snippet last November. The full version showcases Rema at his sensual best. "I just had the biggest debut in my career," he told Rolling Stone on the day of its release, with the song earning nearly 3 million streams in its first 24 hours. [12]

Aaron Williams of Uproxx praised Rema for incorporating Sade Adu's vocals into "Baby (Is It a Crime)" alongside a pulsating Afrobeat rhythm, resulting in a track that balances nostalgia with a fresh sound. [13]

Charts

Chart performance for "Baby (Is It a Crime)"
Chart (2025)Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [14] 98
France (SNEP) [15] 194
Global 200 ( Billboard ) [16] 192
Honduras Anglo Airplay (Monitor Latino) [17] 2
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [18] 23
Nigeria (TurnTable Top 100) [19] 1
UK Singles (OCC) [20] 53
UK Afrobeats (OCC) [21] 1
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [22] 17
US Afrobeats Songs ( Billboard ) [23] 3
US World Digital Song Sales ( Billboard ) [24] 4

Release history

Release dates and formats for "Baby (Is It a Crime)"
RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
Various7 February 2025 [25]
Italy14 February 2025 Radio airplay Universal [26]

References

  1. ↑ Mamo, Heran (7 February 2025). "Rema Releases 'Baby (Is It a Crime)' Single: Stream It Now". Billboard . Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  2. ↑ "Rema's 'Is It A Crime' is the most streamed Nigerian song of 2025 so far on Spotify | Pulse Nigeria". www.pulse.ng. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
  3. ↑ Reed, Thomas. "Rema Announces Release of "Baby (Is It a Crime)"". Max. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  4. ↑ Mamo, Heran (4 February 2025). "Rema Announces Release Date for Sade-Sampling 'Baby (Is It a Crime)' Single". Billboard. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  5. ↑ Mankaprr Conteh (7 February 2025). "Rema Releases 'Baby (Is It a Crime)'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  6. ↑ "Rema Returns with Smooth New Single 'Baby (Is It A Crime)'". New Wave Magazine. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  7. ↑ Ção, Reddac (8 February 2025). "Rema releases new single, "Baby (Is It A Crime)"". ineews . Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  8. ↑ @sharpgist; (9 February 2025). "How P.Priime produced a generational HIT for Rema, "Baby (Is It A Crime)"" . Retrieved 10 February 2025– via Instagram.
  9. ↑ Morton, Devin (7 February 2025). "Rema Delivers Sade-Sampling Single "Baby (Is It A Crime)"". HotNewHipHop . Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  10. ↑ Akhimien, Nosakhale (8 February 2025). "Rema's nostalgic touch flips script on Sade's 'Is It a Crime'". Premium Times . Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  11. ↑ Edah (7 February 2025). "Exclusive Insight: The Story Behind Rema's "Baby (Is It a Crime)"". V Media. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  12. ↑ "The Best Songs of 2025 So Far". Rolling Stone. 6 June 2025. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
  13. ↑ Aaron Williams (7 February 2025). "Rema Channels Sade On His Saucy New Single, 'Baby (Is It A Crime)'". Uproxx . Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  14. ↑ "Rema Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  15. ↑ "Top Singles (Week 6, 2025)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  16. ↑ "Rema Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  17. ↑ "Top 20 Honduras Anglo – Del 30 de Junio al 6 de Julio, 2025" [Top 20 Honduras English – June 30 to July 6, 2025] (in Spanish). Monitor Latino. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  18. ↑ "NZ Hot Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 14 February 2025. Retrieved 20 February 2025.
  19. ↑ "TurnTable Nigeria Top 100: February 7th, 2025 – February 13th, 2025". TurnTable . Archived from the original on 19 February 2025. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  20. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
  21. ↑ "Official Afrobeats Chart Top 20". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
  22. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 February 2025.
  23. ↑ "Rema Chart History (Afrobeats Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  24. ↑ "Rema Chart History (World Digital Song Sales)". Billboard . Retrieved 19 February 2025.
  25. ↑ "Baby (Is it a Crime) - Single". 7 February 2025. Retrieved 10 February 2025.
  26. ↑ Seminara, Emanuela Ali (10 February 2025). "Baby (Is it a crime) - Rema". EarOne (in Italian). Retrieved 15 February 2025.
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