| "Is It a Crime" | ||||
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| Single by Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis | ||||
| from the album Hearts Sold Separately | ||||
| Released | July 31, 2025 | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Length | 3:01 | |||
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| Mariah the Scientist singles chronology | ||||
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| Kali Uchis singles chronology | ||||
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"Is It a Crime" is a song by American singer-songwriters Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis. It was released on July 31, 2025, as the second single from Mariah's fourth studio album Hearts Sold Separately . [1]
"Is It a Crime" is an R&B song with Latin-tinged production that lasts for three minutes and one second long. [2] [3] Lyrically, Mariah and Uchis question whether falling in love again is "a crime", wrestling with the idea of second chances in love. [2] The song’s title and subject deliberately echo Sade's 1985 ballad of the same name: Aaron Williams of Uproxx noted that the duet serves as a homage to classic R&B themes of "forbidden love", even though it does not directly sample the original. [4]
A music video directed by Claire Bishara was released on October 2, 2025. [5] [6] The video takes place in a courtoom drama setting and features Mariah and Uchis as lawyers and Karrahbooo as a defendant. [6] A news segment reports on protests and riots after arrests made during a "war on love." Karrahbooo appears in court as a defendant, with Mariah as a lawyer pleading their case. [7] Uchis works on the defense team "making calls and pulling strings." [5] [7] The video ends with an open-ended final verdict. [5] [6]
Gabriel Bras Nevares of HotNewHipHop praised the track's "sultry and ethereal" atmosphere and noted that both artists deliver "compelling performances" despite its minimalist production. [8] Nevares also stated that the song "[meets] the expected quality standard" for the R&B genre. [8] In a review for The Source , the track was praised as an "emotional banger", with a critic highlighting the song's "sweet spot between soft confession and bold proclamation" and noting the late-night appeal of its chorus. [9]
| Chart (2025) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ) [10] | 10 |
| South Africa (TOSAC) [11] | 29 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 [12] | 59 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [13] | 11 |
| US R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay ( Billboard ) [14] | 11 |
| US Rhythmic ( Billboard ) [15] | 11 |
| Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | July 31, 2025 |
| [16] | |
| United States | August 5, 2025 | Rhythmic contemporary radio | Epic | [17] |