Rap record label hypothetical question

[KobesFinger]

Let's say you were given the resources, knowledge, staff and connections to start up your own record label right now. You decide to sign a rapper as your main artist. Let's also say every rapper, dead or alive, to ever release an album (solo or as part of a group, doesn't matter) is a "free agent" so to speak. They aren't signed to any label, but they will sign with whoever they're with now once you've picked yours.

Who do you pick as your main rapper, and why?

Let's also assume your label does what Roc-A-Fella did in the late 90s/early 2000s and signs in-house producers (they had Just Blaze, Bink! and Kanye West). They work the same way in that any producer ever to have a song released on an album, whether its their own (Dr Dre, RZA) or someone else's (Alchemist, Timbaland) is available. Who would you choose as your main in-house producer?

[joe]

Jay-z. He can sell in any era. Nobody else has proven that like him. And no other rapper can punk him out of the game, like say 50 did to Ja Rule. As much as I love Eminem.. if he rapped alongsde Tupac/Biggie/Big Pun, would that work out to the same degree?

[KobesFinger]

Jay-z. He can sell in any era. Nobody else has proven that like him. And no other rapper can punk him out of the game, like say 50 did to Ja Rule. As much as I love Eminem.. if he rapped alongsde Tupac/Biggie/Big Pun, would that work out to the same degree?

Maybe, Em was selling albums without making chart toppers. A few years of his career did overlap with Pun's too. Did you have a producer?