Rema has consistently moved the sonic needle of Afropop. With every release, the Nigerian maverick has showcased an underlying intentionality that makes listening to him riveting. On “Baby (Is it a Crime),” he finally serves the mellow bop that has been teased since September of last year, shortly after the release of the Grammy-nominated album HEIS.
When Rema shared the snippet on social media, listeners eagerly picked out a floating vocal sample behind the production. Clearly, those vocals belong to the iconic Sade Adu, sampled from her 1985 record, “Is It A Crime.”
Following the release of the single last week, the Nigerian superstar has now announced a 23-date world tour which will take him across London, New York, Paris, Berlin, Japan and much more. See the full dates for his tour below.
Rema was recently spotted holding a vinyl copy of Promise, the 1985 project that features the song “Is It A Crime.” Marketing play or not, it was a visual alliance that shows how deeply the artist cares about building the world of his records. The locomotive artist continues with the international motivations behind his artistry, this time taking inspiration from the timeless sound of Sade Adu.
Produced by P Priime, who was heavily involved in HEIS, the “Baby (Is it a Crime)” beat makes a soothing tease of Sade’s voice, amplifying its wistful atmosphere with a vocoder effect that makes it sound baby-like. Amidst the drums and sonorous horns, Rema creates an enchanting portrayal of desire from the vantage point of his celebrity lifestyle. “You know say you match my steeze / you know I’m a G,” he sings in the early parts of the record, just before segueing into other markers of exuberance.
Rema’s unique ability to twist mundane expressions inside out makes him a very interesting songwriter. That skill is evident in “Baby,” the second verse is especially vibrant and rhythmically intense. In it, one hears Rema in his typical brilliance, seamlessly picking unpredictable vocal pockets while keeping the topic relatable.
On HEIS, there was a necessary ploy by Rema to spotlight the foundational influences behind Afropop. From the loud, swaggering drums to the Pidgin-suffused verses, the project was divisive upon its release, but with time, it was heralded as one of the best releases of last year and a turning point for Nigerian music.
