Superproducers rarely exist anymore, and trends seem to go in and out of music so quickly that making an entire label investment based on actual sounds - at least in hip-hop - doesn't seem as sound of an investment. If they sign a producer to a label deal based on his sound popping, and that sound falls out, then they're assed out.

Meanwhile, artists are only a hit away and they can pop at anytime. You can give an artist, or an artist-based label, whatever sound is going on take a shot. But if the foundation of your label is based on a certain sound, then it can fall off pretty quickly.