????不過，結(jié)果可能不一定順利。50 Cent所率樂隊G-Unit的成員托尼?吉拉克霍（素被稱為Tony G.）指出，結(jié)果總是讓人操心?！澳峄?米娜這樣的歌手或許會和另一位歌手在錄音棚里呆上一會，說‘嗨，我愿意加入這支歌曲，’因此他們進(jìn)行了錄音?！彼f，“但接下來這首歌可能會被管理層否決。他們會說，‘聽著，我們打算先發(fā)布這首或這兩首，我們要把所有的推廣資金都用在這上面，我們不想讓一首有助陣歌手的歌曲摻和進(jìn)來，分散聽眾的注意力?！币虼?。很多優(yōu)秀的合作歌曲最終都這樣被束之高閣了。

????有些歌手可能會將這些歌曲在互聯(lián)網(wǎng)上私自發(fā)布?！叭绻皇赘栌兴奈灰涣鞲栊茄莩瑓s被唱片公司封殺，”Tony G.說?！案枋滞鶗f‘我可不想管這些，太煩了。我們就把它當(dāng)做一首推廣歌曲發(fā)布吧。這事兒就算完了。’”這倒不是說原先的合作完全是浪費。饒舌界資深人士巴斯達(dá)?韻表示：“不幸的是互聯(lián)網(wǎng)的出現(xiàn)讓一首歌的注意力持續(xù)時間不像過去那么長了。必須不斷地讓街上能聽到你的音樂。”Tony G.對此表示贊同：“你不再只是一名歌手，而是一個品牌。必須把一切都拉進(jìn)來，包括社交媒體、整個團隊、你和其他歌手合作的歌曲。”

????十年前，唱片公司要花上重金，才能請到一位著名歌手助陣一首單曲，特別是如果他們認(rèn)為這首單曲可能成為一首熱門的電臺歌曲。如今，電臺已不再是目標(biāo)，明星助陣歌手亦然。邀請很多新冒出來的年輕歌手助陣一首歌，即便他們沒那么出名，是讓一首歌迅速流行起來的關(guān)鍵。成名歌手，如Jay-Z和坎耶?韋斯特，受益于與年輕饒舌歌手在一起，這能讓他們保持業(yè)內(nèi)地位，拓展品牌。年輕歌手則能夠獲得更多的曝光率，J. Cole、卡迪小子、Wale和Big Sean就是通過在一位知名前輩的歌曲中客串而打響了知名度。

????這一趨勢取代的是傳統(tǒng)的饒舌樂隊團體。可以越來越多地看到，歌手忠誠于唱片公司，但演唱以個人為主。雖有例外，但對大多數(shù)來說，Run DMC、De La Soul或NWA等饒舌樂隊輝煌的日子已然逝去。這并非全然是件好事。帕特諾認(rèn)為，隨著饒舌樂隊團體的逐漸消失，饒舌藝術(shù)喪失了一些重要的東西：“人們喜歡Wu-Tang或NWA，沒有熱門歌曲，他們的唱片也能大賣。他們是一種生活方式，對人們具有重要意義。但現(xiàn)在，我想大部分歌手如果不再推出熱門歌曲，很快就會被人們遺忘。”

????歌手擔(dān)心過度曝光嗎？現(xiàn)年25歲、來自俄亥俄州的斯達(dá)黎去年和瑞克?羅斯的Maybach Music 唱片公司簽約，他說他很謹(jǐn)慎?！拔也粫驗槟壳澳承┤撕芑?，就草率地和他們一起錄歌。我希望人們知道我的品牌，我的音樂以及我想代表的價值，然后再助陣其他人的新歌?！卑退惯_(dá)不這么認(rèn)為。對他而言，一切都很簡單：“你可以錄一萬首助陣歌曲。如果這些歌都很好，那么你也不錯?！?/p>

????當(dāng)然，只有時間能告訴我們，由八位歌手共同演繹一首單曲是否是一個永恒的趨勢?！俺龅?0年以上仍然能夠活躍在我們稱之為嘻哈和饒舌音樂圈內(nèi)的歌手沒幾個，”巴斯達(dá)?韻表示。“因此，得等到發(fā)行五張專輯后，我們再來看看當(dāng)初這些熱門歌手在哪里。五年后我們可以再來看看，就會知道誰能真正留下來。我肯定還會在這兒努力奮斗。”說話的這位可是饒舌音樂圈內(nèi)最熱衷友情助陣的歌手之一。

????譯者：老榆木

????That can lead to problems, however. Tony Girakhoo, known as Tony G. and a scout for 50 Cent's label G-Unit, notes that the people on that "back end" usually do worry. "An artist like Nicki Minaj might be hanging out with another artist in the studio and say 'Hey, I'll jump on this song,' so they cut a record," he says. "But then management won't clear it. They'll say, 'Listen, we're putting out this or these two singles first, and we have all these marketing dollars behind it, we don't want to confuse the public with a feature right now.'" Thus there are a number of great collaborations that are never heard.

????That typically leads artists to leak songs onto the Internet. "If it's four marquee names and the song gets nixed by the label," Tony G. says, "often the artist will say 'I don't want to deal with this, it's not worth the headache, let's just leak it as a promo and move on.'" That doesn't necessarily mean the collaboration was a waste. "Unfortunately, says rap veteran Busta Rhymes, "the attention span is not as long as it used to be, thanks to the Internet. So you have to keep feeding the streets with your music." Tony G. concurs, "You're not just an artist anymore, you're a brand. You have to tie everything in: your social media, your whole crew, your features with other artists."

????A decade ago, labels would make serious investments to get a verse from one big name on their client's single, especially when they thought it could become a hot radio track. But radio is no longer the goal, and often neither is a star guest. Having a number of fresh, young artists on a track, even if they are not well-known, can be the key to making a song go viral. Established artists like Jay-Z and Kanye West benefit from working with young rappers by staying relevant and expanding their brands. Younger artists, in turn, get more exposure. J. Cole, Kid Cudi, Wale and Big Sean made names for themselves by making cameos on tracks with an established mentor.

????One element the trend has displaced is the old-school rap group. Increasingly, artists have allegiance to their label but continue to function chiefly as individuals. There are exceptions, but for the most part, the days of collective groups like Run DMC, De La Soul, or NWA appear to be fading. That isn't an entirely welcome phenomenon. Paterno believes that with the move away from groups, rap has lost something important: "People like Wu-Tang or NWA, they would sell without hits. They were a lifestyle. They mattered to people. I don't think most artists today matter to anybody as soon as they stop having hits."

????Do artists worry about overexposure? Stalley, a 25-year-old from Ohio who signed with Rick Ross's Maybach Music label last year, says he is cautious. "I don't jump on records with people just because they're hot right now. I want people to know my brand, and my music, and what I stand for, before I get to hoppin' on everybody's track." Busta doesn't see the same risk. For him, it's simple: "You can put out ten thousand features. If they're all good, then you're good."

????Of course, only time can tell whether singles heavy with eight different vocalists are a permanent trend. "There ain't too many more 10-year veterans still poppin' in this game we call hip-hop and rap music," adds Busta Rhymes. "So, you know, after five albums, let's see where some of these hot dudes are. In five years we can revisit this, and we'll know who really stuck around. I for one will definitely be here still busting ass." And this from one of the most avid collaborators in the business.