Ever Buy a CD off TV?

This past week, I posted the music video for the song "Nuttin' But Flavor" by Funkmaster Flex as the 20 Years Before 2000 Throwback Jam of the Week. This song reminded me of this "Hip Hop Mix" CD that is currently in my collection. I dug around and found it and myself and my daughter have been listening to it every morning this week as I drop her off at school.

Me and my brother had quite a few of these compilation CDs back in the day. You see this CD was released in 1995, which was about 4 years before Napster was launched, so the only other way to get your favorite songs without all the filler was to pop a blank tape into your jam box and hope your favorite radio station plays the best jams so you could record them for later listening pleasure.

This CD was originally only offered through a television commercial campaign (evidenced by the "As Seen on TV" graphic on the cover) that involved a chunky, bald man getting ready for his untimely demise in an electric chair. Lord knows what that had to do with anything, but it really caught the teenage eyes of me and my brother. Especially my brother. I tried searching the interwebs, so I could post that commercial here, but I was unable to find it anywhere! At least the commercial is sort of represented in the cover art for this disc.

The Hip Hop Mix was more than just a really weird commercial, it actually featured some bangin' jams like "Safe & Sound" by DJ Quik. "Funkdafied" by Da Brat and "Tootsie Roll" by 69 Boyz! My brother ordered the CD and after his interest in it wavered, I grabbed it and still have it to this day! That got me thinking about all of those "Only Available Through This TV Offer" tapes and CDs that were being advertised to us back in the 90's? Did anyone ever buy any? Below are some examples of those classic ads featuring some great songs from back in the day!

When was the last time you saw one of these? Do they even do this anymore? If you did buy one of these CDs, please feel free to let us know what you purchased in the comments below! I'll leave you all off with a video from another hit song off the Hip Hop Mix album..."Tukka Yout's Riddim by Us3! Enjoy!