i think its necessary because the producer needs to get his name out there too, when it comes to rap the producer is basically a co-songwriter, and some listeners want to check out all the work a certain person has done, so someone who digs Clams Casino could discover ASAP that way.

that tactic wouldn't have made much sense in the past when only one producer handled all the cuts and he was usually on the album cover if not a part of the group