"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.
"Is It a Crime" is an R&B song with Latin-tinged production that lasts for three minutes and one second long. Lyrically, Mariah and Uchis question whether falling in love again is "a crime", wrestling with the idea of second chances in love. The songâÂÂs 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.
A music video directed by Claire Bishara was released on October 2, 2025. The video takes place in a courtoom drama setting and features Mariah and Uchis as lawyers and Karrahbooo as a defendant. 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. Uchis works on the defense team "making calls and pulling strings." The video ends with an open-ended final verdict.
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. Nevares also stated that the song "[meets] the expected quality standard" for the R&B genre. 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.