You really gotta have both, not one or the other. You could be the next Jay-z but if your sound quality (mix, Master etc. ) is low budget, aint no label gonna give you a "deal". Not sure how long or how deep you are in the biz, but the average local rapper will not need distribution. Especially when you're only pressing up 1000 copies like most people, and if you're cover and presentation aint tight, no real distro company will fuck with you. It don't even matter if your shit is tight, you usually gotta have plugs or a track record to get a real "distribution deal". Aint no distro company gonna pay for your cover to get done and all the mix, master and promo, just because your "content" is good. . . Plus features don't make a shit of a difference these days, unless you got T-pain or someone major. Every local dude got the same features on their albums. . Dubb aint givin bad info at all. He been in the biz and knows the ins and outs. Unless you're doin somethin he aint then I don't think anyone should be speakin on it. .
oh yeah, and 10 racks aint shit to put into an album, on any level.
Unless you're a hobby rapper, and there's plenty of those out here