We had so many of these discussions in the 2000s with guys like Shadeed and God, to name a few. It's crazy that even now this is the way to go. I would assume it would be difficult in another way today because it's mostly online contacts, plus everything is oversaturated, but the bottom line is networking is key.
God used to always make a point of having your shit together, if you have an album to push then make sure the artwork is professional, it has to look the part, have all your socials in order and have your branding sorted out. Make sure you have a press release ready and have your well written biography in place, and in today's age, most importantly, develop a following on your own.
If you want to get signed and get the big promo, then you have to have a following already. The labels need to see you have what people are looking for, they aren't really about artist development from nothing in the social media age, they are looking for maximum return on minimal investment. They dont want to invest a load of time(and money) in an unknown entity. Unless you are related to somebody and get in through nepotism, then you need to work by yourself to develop a fan base. Yes, connections are valuable, be humble and be respectful and professional in your networking.
Know your worth and dont cut yourself short, if we dont take our time and skillset seriously then how can we expect anybody else to. By this I mean dont undervalue your music. Music takes time to make and years to develop the skills to become good and consistent in our craft. We are craftsmen. Don't sell your craft for less than the minimum wage. I'm talking about people that give their music away for free, or 10 beats for $5 type shit, that doesn't even pay for the time spent making them, let alone the years it took to get where you are today. I dont charge people for my time alone, I also charge for the years I have put into this and the thousands of pounds I have spent getting all the gear to make quality music.
Rappers need to perform at shows to build a fan base, us producers/beatmakers need to go to networking events to meet rappers and artists to complete our beats and make full original songs. Its up to us to find up and coming talent and build a following with them. Once a following has been developed then bigger players might take an interest.
Also use social networking to talk to artists, you never know, a big name artist might just resonate with the beats you are making and you can piggy back off of their success and fanbase as a way of picking up fans for yourself.