The Beauty of Independence

50 Cent's infamous crew G-Unit got so big in their day that their streetwear brand could be bought at any given mall, but their reunion rolled out in the most interesting of manners, with an underground mixtape and this surprise EP. Big news is that Kidd Kidd is the new recruit and fifth member -- added to the "classic" lineup of 50, Lloyd Banks, Young Buck, and Tony Yayo -- but the better news is that these veteran thugs still sound hungry. Plus, the beats employed are edgier, and expected, with the overall electro and sharp productions reflecting the sound of 50's 2014 album Animal Ambition. There are too few tracks to call this classic, and with the more "pop" numbers being reserved for the Back to Business mixtape, this is too narrow for the casual fan, but the chemistry is there, and if Yayo doesn't win the 2014 award for "most improved rapper" with his surprisingly wicked verses, then people just don't pay attention to murder music anymore. ~ David Jeffries|