By William E. Ketchum III & Legend

G-Unit - Return of the Bodysnatchers Vol. 1 (DJ Whoo Kid) [click here to listen]
With Return of the Bodysnatchers Vol. 1, a free mixtape given out on Curtis’ ThisIs50.com, 50 and company arrive hungry as ever. As one of the group’s first unified efforts in what seems like years, G-Unit succeeds by doing what made them mixtape innovators in the first place: charismatic, hard-nosed lyrics paired with top notch hooks. Each member holds their own weight—50 shines with his booming vocal presence, Lloyd Banks provides his punchline acumen, and even Tony Yayo comes through with some of the most entertaining bars of his career. In this writer’s mind, “The Mechanic” stands as one of the best 50 songs since Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, and Return of the Bodysnatchers surprisingly edges out The Clipse as the best mixtape of the month.

Re-Up Gang - We Got It 4 Cheap. Vol. 3 (DJ Drama) [click here to listen]
Reigning mixtape kings the Re-Up Gang is back to its old tricks with the third volume of their legendary We Got It 4 Cheap series. It doesn’t long for them to spew bars against their arch nemesis, Lil Wayne: “Don’t make me turn Daddy’s little girl to orphan/that’ll mean I have to kill baby like abortion,” Pusha T quips on the mixtape’s intro. While the group’s “Roc Boys” remake seems contrived, all of the others—Kanye’s “Good Morning,” Raekwon’s “Rainy Dayz”—are top notch, as brothers Thorton and their cohorts continue to spit the precise, cold-blooded bars that earned them their reputation, with the occasional introspective track to keep listeners on their toes.

Kidz in The Hall - Geniuses Need Love Too
In this day and age of commercial rap, and ringtone music, Kidz seperates themselves by being anything BUT that. Geniuses Need Love Too rides on the days of good music and feel good rap. The whole tape surrounds itself with old school beats your favorite ringtone rapper knows nothing about (Like the intro sampling Zapp & Roger). With stand out tracks like "Mi Amor" featuring Kes where Naledge breaks down his love for a female, and "Make It Last" featuring '80s babies favorite Keith Sweat. Coming at a whopping 11 tracks (not your usual 2363 tracks your normal mixtapes have) Kidz leave you with that itch that asks for more.

Crooked I - St. Valentine’s Day Bossacre (DJ Felli Fel & Nik Bean) [click here to listen]
Already killing the game with his “Hip Hop Weekly” freestyles, Crooked I keeps his momentum going with his latest mixtape, St. Valentine’s Day Bossacre. As expected, Crook rips through every verse on the tape, supplying a balanced mixture of remakes and original tracks. While the production doesn’t always serve Crooked I’s verses justice, this isn’t a mixtape that you buy or download for beats. This is a release centered around lyrical display, and in that respect, Bossacre doesn’t disappoint.

Fabolous - No Competition (DJ Drama) [click here to listen]
"Mr. Thanksgiving" is always trying to outdo every release. There's nosense in dropping a mixtape if you're not gonna shock the game. This time he pairs up with Loso (so you know so) and as far as mixtapes go, its a win-win situation. Fabolous hasn't been this hungry since the DJ Clue days. "Suicide" has other rappers cutting their throat, "Fuck Em All" has us throwing the middle finger up alongside Red Cafe and "I'm Getting Money" has fans analyzing Fab's impeccable flow. I guess for the moment, DJ Drama really has no competition.

DJ Drama & B.G. - Hood Generals (DJ Drama) [click here to listen]
Where B.G. been hiding at? He must have been planning the takeover. I think I speak for a lot of folks when I say, "We didn't see this one coming." And I think that's one of DJ Drama's best qualities. To shock and hit you when you least expect it. Quality music never lacks on a Gangsta Grillz tape and this is no different. B.G. takes it back to the "Cash Money Is an Army" days feeding us with that ride out music. "Stay Strapped" has the Hot Boys grabbin their steel. B.G. straps up and brings T.I.P., Young Jeezy, Juvenile and even resurrects Soulja Slim from the grave on "Gotta Get That." I guess Drama was right when he said this mixtape was "long overdue" on the intro. This is what B.G. fans have been waiting for since '01.