Mariah the Scientist & Kali Uchis, Is It A Crime | Song Review 🎵

There is nothing criminal about “Is It A Crime,” a radiant collaboration between R&B standouts  Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis.

“Ifell, you fell in love a couple times / Tell me, what’s it to ya? Tell me, is it a crime?” Mariah the Scientist (Mariah Amani Buckles) taps Grammy-nominated Latin/R&B singer Kali Uchis for her criminal love-driven single, “It Is a Crime”. “Is It a Crime” is the fourth track from Mariah’s 2025 album, HEARTS SOLD SEPARATELY. She penned “Is It A Crime” with Karly Loaiza, Matthew Worthem, Oliver Easton, and Nineteen85 (Paul Jeffries). Mat1k and Easton produced it. Backed by a lush, sleek, quintessential contemporary R&B instrumental, “Is It A Crime” is nothing short of exquisite. 

In this duet, both musicians sing separately. Mariah the Scientist draws first blood, singing radiantly in the first verse and chorus. Mariah mentions, “They, they were wrong about us, I hate the way they paint it.” She adds, “It ain’t love they see / But it ain’t nothin’ to discuss ‘cause it is to me.” Kali Uchis sings the second verse, contrasting with Mariah yet showing off her elegant pipes. She clarifies that love is no crime, singing, “‘Cause if loving me is jail, then you’re my prisoner.” Adding emphasis, rather, an expletive, Kali asserts, “Let ‘em know we don’t give a fuck / All they want to see is us breaking up.” In the centerpiece, the chorus, Mariah asks, “Tell me, what’s it to ya? Tell me, is it a crime to fall?” That’s a big fat rhetorical NO.  It is never a crime to fall in love.  It’s certainly no crime to fall in love with “It Is a Crime”, where both the talented Mariah the Scientist and Kali Uchis bring their A game.