Baby Ranks says he's not like most reggaetoneros who think they'll "make millions of dollars after only one album."

Born in Puerto Rico to Dominican parents, David Luciano Acosta knows a little about paying dues. Best known for his work on Luny Tunes' Más Flow compilations, Baby Ranks has spent the last decade collaborating with many of reggaetón's biggest and brightest, including Daddy Yankee, Wisin y Yandel and Zion. The twentysomething says he's focused on pushing reggaetón to evolve, not getting rich: "People are tired of hearing artists who say they're coming with something new and end up copying what others are doing."

Earlier this summer, the cheeky singer-rapper released his debut, Mi Flow: This Is It. Lead single De Fuga is a comfortable reggaetón jam with buzzing synths and hissing hi-hats, while the Flex-ish El Amor Se Fue drips with sweet melodies and heartbreak. True to his word, Baby Ranks offers more than reggaetón on Mi Flow. There's bachata on "Luna Llena," reggae on "Sera La Hora" and straight up pop-rock on "Enamorado De Ti." Guests include Angel Lopez and La India while production is handled by the likes of Luny Tunes and Mambo Kingz.

After years of waiting for his time, Baby Ranks asks for similar patience from those who believe reggaetón is in a creative lull: "[It] will evolve… but it’ll happen slowly."

See: myspace.com/elranks

R.K.M y Ken-Y have competition. Not only do Gerry "Lionize" Hernández and Rafael "Raphy" Ramirez look and sound like R.K.M y Ken-Y, they're currently involved in a bitter feud with the popular romantikeo duo.

Hernández and Ramirez, aka Erre XI, made their debut on last year's Los Benjamins: La Continuación, alongside heavy hitters like Don Omar, Randy and Arcángel. Their contribution to the star-studded compilation, Vete, is a thumping club track with whistling synths, accordion flourishes and seductive complaints of a spurned lover.

Earlier this year, Erre XI uploaded Lloraré, a piano ballad about heartbreak to their MySpace. A few months later, R.K.M. y Ken-Y dropped their single Te Amaré with a nearly identical chorus. In fact, it's the same song. Luny claims "Lloraré," which was written by Wise (Hector "El Father," RBD, R.K.M. y Ken-Y) belongs to Mas Flow Inc., the Luny Tunes-owned label to which Wise is signed. Pina Records contends R.K.M. y Ken-Y bought the song from Wise. Luny counters he will take legal action against Pina Records for intentionally sabotaging Erre XI: "Nobody releases a single three months before their album comes out, unless it's a new artist."

No matter the outcome, Erre XI's debut album, tentatively titled Urban Soul, is scheduled for a late 2008 release. It features production by Luny Tunes, Tainy, Noriega, Doble A & Nales and guest appearances by Pee Wee, Ivy Queen, Arcángel, La Sista and Randy. In his MySpace blog, Hernández says there's plenty of room for another romantikeo duo: "The cake is very big and there is enough for everyone."

See: myspace.com/errexi

Nelson Martínez, aka DJ Nelson, is considered the "Godfather of reggaetón." His latest release, Flow La Discoteka 2, proves he's also one the genre’s innovators.

Flow La Discoteka 2 is anything but typical, as its best tracks seek to redefine reggaetón, most of them benefiting from slick production that may inspire Luny Tunes to go back to the drawing board. Flow’s glossy template takes cues from '80s icons such as Michael Jackson (Arcangel’s “Chica Virtual”) and the Eurythmics (O’Neil’s “Algo De Ti Me Llama”). Nelson summons Timbaland’s spirit on the grimy synth-drenched beats of Voltio’s “Dale Mami Damelo.”

Although it borrows heavily from past decades, Flow never feels outdated – even when Nelson throws in some techno on Zion’s “Que Pasará.” “Mal de Amores” borrows freestyle music from Black Eyed Peas and caps it off with Ñejo’s Tego-influenced flow. Rapper AJ defines the album's essence on the dark electro of “Love, Sex & Disco,” confidently proclaiming, “nueva música, nuevos estilos, reggaeton con mucha cosa” (new music, new styles, reggaetón with substance).

Unfortunately, the album is interrupted by cloying caribbean numbers and ends with the Menudo-like ballad “Gracias Mama,” an abrupt and disappointing ending to an otherwise exciting trip to the future.

Francisco Saldaña (Luny) and Victor Cabrera (Tunes) are the driving force behind some of reggaetón’s most successful productions. With their new album Mas Flow: Los Benjamins blaring out of every Latin dance club in the U.S. and already at 30 on the Billboard charts, Luny Tunes have another massive hit to add to their already impressive resume.

Los Benjamins, which also features Luny Tunes protégé, teenage producer Tainy (Marco Masis), is not all that different from the previous Mas Flow compilations: a necklace of bright reggaetón icons woven together by sharp musical production. Like its predecessors, this installment aims to please with 23 tracks of familiar but nonetheless intense, dirty, gangsta reggaetón beats for the dance floor.

There are a few surprises, though, including Noche de Entierro (Nuestro Amor), which throws together Daddy Yankee, Wisin & Yandel, Héctor "El Father", Tony Tun Tun and Zion along with a sophisticated string, flute and accordion arrangement. "Noche de Entierro" is, in all senses, a real pop song you can actually sing along to. On the same tip, Jean's Contigo dazzles with a haunting synthetic cello loop and electro hook that veers away from Luny Tunes’ traditional hard-edged sound and into uncharted territory for el dream team. There's a similar edge to the buzzing "No Te Quiere," with Rookie on vocals, which could easily pass as the reggaetón equivalent to Justin Timberlake’s My Love.

It’s the production on songs like these which will no doubt allow Luny Tunes & Tainy to cross over. But it will probably take more than Los Benjamins to get them to experiment with a formula that has proven so successful so far. Until that happens we can look forward to more of this trio’s near-perfect reggaetón.