i see what you sayin but it's more like if the plug-man wanted 50k for linking you with the movers but you had to agree to ONLY cop from that specific source, you couldn't do dealings with other potential suppliers ever, no matter how sweet the deal or better the product. that's what stoute was saying, he wanted him to sign the production deal. 50k to him, plus mega gotta pay tone and poke for they beats even if he doesn't love them because he's on paper. that 250k advance, after stoute and trackmasters got what they had to get, would turn into 25k real fast.
yeah but in that era, nyggas was selling records. Bum rappers was selling 500-750 out the gate. The turnaround would have been worth it. But I can see Megas point.
But when Jay Z wanted to get on, he had a 100,000 in a paper bag just wanting IN... thats how you have to play sometimes.
You start a business, you have to have that up front money. A risk is a risk...