DOWNLOAD: Rema delivers Sade Adu-sampled song ‘Baby (Is It a Crime)’

Rema, the Nigerian singer, has finally delivered his first single of the year titled ‘Baby (Is It a Crime)’.

The Afrobeats sensation released the song on streaming platforms in the early hours of Friday morning.

In ‘Is It a Crime’, Rema samples British-Nigerian soul singer Sade Adu’s 1985 hit song of the same title.

The song begins with Adu’s distinctive voice piercing through the intro’s static crackle, followed by slick drums and Rema’s signature wiggly trill.

“Baby/Baby sunmoni/You know say you match my steeze… You know I’m a G/Shawty. I’mma always keep it real/I no dey for too much whining/Dey for too much whining,” Rema sings in Pidgin English.

The song marks Rema’s first solo release since his feature on Bnxn’s ‘Fi Kan We Kan’ in October.

Rema had been teasing the song on social media since November, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the release.

He recently announced on X that the full song and official music video would be released on February 7.

Photos of Rema holding Sade’s ‘Promise’ vinyl album, which features ‘Is It a Crime,’ also surfaced online, further fueling excitement for the new track.

Listen to the song below:

Born Divine Ikubor, Rema signed with D’Prince’s Jonzing World, a subsidiary of Mavin Records, in 2019.

His hit song ‘Calm Down’, featuring Selena Gomez, won the first ‘Best Afrobeats’ category at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) in 2023.

Spotify also recognised him as one of the most exported artistes who dominated last year’s charts in sub-Saharan Africa.

Rema’s sophomore album ‘HeIs‘ set the record for the biggest first-week streams on Spotify Nigeria in 2024.

‘Heis’ was also nominated for ‘Best Global Music Album’ at the 2025 Grammys but lost to Matt B’s ‘Alkebulan II’ featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

The singer had previously declared that he is officially on par with ‘Afrobeats Big 3’.

DOWNLOAD: ‘BABY (IS IT A CRIME)’ BY REMA