Bronx-bred emcee losLAUREN718 delivers one of his most accomplished projects to date with Shades of Blue 3. The album is a focused, textured listen that balances street-level grit with a veteran songwriter’s ear for melody and arrangement. Across 17 tracks and a deep list of collaborators, losLAUREN718 threads together candid storytelling, sharp punchlines, and a surprisingly wide emotional range, from the blunt hustle of “Money Laundering” to the tender warmth of “Love for You (Feel Good).”
losLAUREN718 famously brands himself as “Allergic to Failure” He began as a battle-rapper in the Bronx. His early recognition includes an Unsigned Hype mention. He built his career on independent hustle and disciplined preparation. That mix of raw competitiveness and professionalism shows up in the music’s workmanlike craft and consistency.
Production-wise Shades of Blue 3 keeps the instrumentation lean where it needs to be and lush when the moment calls for it. Tracks like “Dope Dealer” (with Kendall Spencer & K. Sway) and “Start Off (Getting to the Money)” ride hard, with tight drums and bass that let losLAUREN718’s cadence land cleanly on the beat. “Something Real (Chasing)” is a standout for its cinematic hook and the chemistry between the featured vocalists and the lead verse; it’s a great example of the album’s ability to pivot from braggadocio to vulnerability without losing cohesion.
Lyrically, losLAUREN718 is at his best when he’s precise, vivid details, crisp internal rhymes, and a conversational delivery that sounds lived-in rather than performed. “Nxggerish” is provocative and confrontational in tone, while “Persevere” closes the album on an inspirational note that underscores the recurring theme: relentless ambition tempered by experience. The sequencing is strong and the interludes give the project breathing room and add narrative texture rather than padding.
One of the album’s real strengths is how it presents losLAUREN718 as an active independent force: his catalog is available and supported across streaming platforms and he complements releases with visuals and DIY marketing, evidence of a hustle that’s as strategic as it is creative. Recent video releases and press coverage also show he’s deliberate about visual storytelling and maintaining momentum.
Minor notes: a couple of tracks lean on familiar street-rap tropes and could have been tightened, but those are small quibbles on an otherwise mature body of work.
Bottom line: Shades of Blue 3 is a confident, well-sequenced record that showcases losLAUREN718’s growth as a lyricist, curator of collaborators, and independent artist. It’s an easy 9/10: essential listening for fans of intelligent indie rap who still want grit with their melodies.
Apple Link: https://music.apple.com/us/album/shades-of-blue-3-clean-version-radio-edit/1841117120
© 2025, Logan. All rights reserved.
