- Since the release of Rema’s first single of the Baby (Is It a Crime), it has been on a charting spree
- The latest milestone of the song that sampled Sade Adu’s 1985 Is It a Crime is debuting on the UK Official Afrobeats chart
- TheRadar compiled all milestones achieved by Rema’s Baby (Is It a Crime) so far
A week ago, Afrobeats sensation singer Divine Ikubor, also known as Rema, released his first single of the year, Baby (Is It a Crime).
Since its release, the song has recorded milestones that prove the hit-making ability of the 24-year-old singer.
Baby (Is It a Crime) sampled Nigerian-British Soul singer Sade Adu’s 1985 original track Is It a Crime. The sultry Afrobeats version by Rema continues to top charts across Nigeria and on the global pedestal.
In this piece, TheRadar curated a list of all milestones and charting sprees achieved by Rema’s Baby (Is It a Crime) in one week.
The song was released on February 7, 2025. The track at the core addresses the complexities of love and external pressures that come with it. With his lyrics, he painted a picture of a love that is defiant and passionate.
Milestones of Rema’s ‘Baby (Is It a Crime)’ so far
- Rema’s Baby (Is It A Crime) debuts on #1 on UK Official Afrobeats chart
- It debuts at #53 on the UK Official Singles chart.
- It debuts at #23 on the New Zealand Hot 40 Singles chart.
- It debuts at #23 on the Netherlands Dutch Singles Tip.
- It closes the week with the 4th biggest first-week streams on Spotify NG, with 3.36M streams.
- It debuts at #5 on Spotify Top Songs Debut UK.
- It is the first Nigerian song to chart in over 70 countries on Apple Music, across all genres.
- It has so far peaked at #1 on 5 platforms in Nigeria, including Apple Music, iTunes, Spotify, Youtube, and Deezer.
- It is the #1 most-streamed Nigerian song of 2025 on Spotify.
- It debuts at #5 on Spotify Top Songs Debut Global.
- It has achieved the 2nd biggest opening day ever for an African song on Spotify NG.
Album Review: “HEIS” is Rema’s monotonous outburst for recognition
Meanwhile, earlier, TheRadar reviewed Rema’s album. It solidified an evolution in the 24-year-old's artistic journey, but it signalled a monotonous outburst to seek recognition.
Considering the title of the album and its meaning, Rema, born Divine Ikubor, made a rather bold declaration of himself as “number one” in the music game - which is quite controversial.
