Throw'd Thankin' Entertainment changed the game. Not too long ago, Shreveport rap was going through an overdose of Houston-inspired "screw" songs and "freestyles". It seemed like everyone wanted to be like like Flip, Keke, or Chamillionaire...and then it happened. An army of foul-mouthed and cocky high school kids calling themselves Throw'd Thankin' Entertainment stepped on the scene with their mixtape Kingz of the Club Vol.1, and - in a move that they made look so easy - single-handedly changed the face of the local music scene. With the topics of club hopping, broad pulling and - most notably - pill popping being the highlights of disc, Shreveport was officially introduced to "Jig" - a subgenre that was Baton Rouge-created and Shreveport-refined.

Since the takeover, a few names have changed from the line-up, but the Throw'd Thankin' mission objective has remained the same: Get as many asses on the dance floor as possible and keep the car trunks rattling.

With a new collective of artists called The Trap Kommittee Muzik Group, the revamped TTE are back with their latest project, Get Right or Get Left hosted by DJ Woody, and are set to prove that the boys who gave the grown folk a run for their money are now adults themselves, and are determined to show the old-heads who they've dethroned and the youngsters who they've influenced how this Rap shit is done.

Get Right or Get Left

Throw'd Thankin' Entertainment/Trap Kommittee Muzik Group

Lyrics - 3/5 Beats - 4/5 Guest Appearances - N/A Originality - 2/5 Overall Flow - 4/5

Standout Cuts - "Big Dawg (Move)", "Ms. Wet Wet", "Ratchet B*tch", "Turnin' Back (Losing It)"

The Good: CEO and TTE founder Junior Pymp hasn't lost his touch; he still has that sixth sense of knowing what a good beat sounds like and what artist should go with it. His self-nurtured executive producer skills have only gotten sharper over the years, and it shows when one listens to this disc from start to finish (That's right. I said "disc"! Damn I-pod heads.). Things start off strong with "Flatline", an adrenaline-induced ode to all TTE naysayers. Pymp gets things rolling with the declaration, "In the streets, I'm an animal/ I'm a gorilla/ No time to waste, shawty/ I'm a go-getter" in his signature baritione amid a mix of hard-hitting drums, blaring horns, and what sounds like those choral voices from The Omen. I told you the man knows a good beat when he hears one! Crew member Isee goes for his with the simple but slick line "Life's a bitch/ But I ain't trying to lose her/ So I walk around with condoms/ Like, Fuck it. I'll do her," within seconds of the track's closing.It's obvious that club-bangers intentionally make up the bulk of the disc. And for the most part, they don't disappoint. All standout cuts listed above go hard, including "Ratchet B*tch" and the preceding "Ratchet (skit)" - two guilty pleasures that will have feminists everywhere saluting the crew with pickets signs in one hand and the middle finger in the other (Ladies, I love you, but you can't deny a catchy tune and the comedy of a horny female who's had too much to drink, respectively.). But the shining moment comes via "Turning Back (Losing It)", where the fellas show that they're human by detailing the frustrations that goes on in their lives Being introspective is always a plus in my book!...But, sadly, a plus wouldn't be celebrated if it wasn't for the minuses...Read on.

The Bad: Somewhere, there's this unwritten rule amongst mixtapes. I don't know who started it, or why artists live by it. But what I do know is that it's like steel-tipped fingernails to a chalkboard. The rule I'm speaking of: The DJ or the person 'hosting" the mixtape must torture the listener with CONSTANT self-boasting and mindless yelling. For the love of all that is Hip-Hop, just let the damn mixtape play! I've met DJ Woody a couple of times. Real cool cat. And I understand that he's trying to bring his personality to the mixtape - like any host is supposed to - but his commentary really brings things down for the boys of TTE. Things only get worse when he insists on repeatedly yelling "Mixtaaaaape!", which comes off sounding like DJ Hollyhood Bay Bay meets The Cookie Monster.In addition to the flaw listed above, there really isn't much to offer in the Originality department. Who isn't rapping about getting money? Who isn't the hardest on the block? Who doesn't have the "baddest bitch" on deck? I'm being so sincere when I ask, What's new? A lot of what Get Right or Get Left has to offer falls into the Been-There-Heard-That category. In my opinion, the tough-talk of "Gangsta" is a waste of a dope beat, where they have a dude on the hook singing (and I quote), "Bitch, I'm so gangsta/ Ridin' in the 'Lacs/ Tech Nines, .45's, choppers in the back/ Pistols hanging out the Chevy/ Pussy, where you at?/ Playa, is you ready for that?"...(Exhales) I'm not even going to talk about the verses. Moving on.

Conclusion: You can't deny Junior Pymp. When you see him in action, he brings to mind a young P.Diddy and Dr. Dre. Like Diddy, his business skills are top rank. And like Dre, his eye for talent and laying of a solid foundation has allowed young 318 hot spitters to be recognized, enabling them go on to lay down foundations of their own (Lil' Polkk, Wild Yella, and Lil' Uzey of Soulja Rock Entertainment and Ant Brown). With all that being mentioned, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't somewhat disappointed after listening to this joint here. With so many diverse personalities being on the TTE roster, I expected more a multifaceted offering (Call me crazy, but I was also expecting to hear collabos from some of his former TTE brethren.). For the die-hard clubheads and parking lot pimps, copping this disc is a no-brainer. But for those of us who want more from the crew who has so much to offer, two introspective tracks just doesn't cut it. Nonetheless, Get Right or Get Left is body of work that deserves attention. Cop the mixtape, listen to it, and form your own opinion. These are only mine. - Ron Moon

Final Rating: 3/5