I'll be the first to tell you "LIVE" playing is not as expensive as you might think. It takes a while to set up drum mics and get guitar tones but where does the expensive factor come in? BTW what exactly is "live"? A person who plays REAL chords and progressions throughout the ENTIRE song and NEVER repeats the same phrase? Or is it simply a person who knows HOW to play CLASSICAL or plays according to THEORY and not improv? If a "live" player lays down 3 different 8 bar rhythms and you cut and paste those to various spots in pro tools (or logic or cubase or whatever the hell it is you use) is it still "live"?
You have a lot of musicians in the bay area who can play keys, musicians who can play the drums and musicians who can play the guitar and other stringed instruments. Some go by the persons budget, what they want, the label releasing the project etc etc etc and they are EASY to find.
Concerning Rapael I've never met him in person I saw him at a concert once and that was it. He might be expensive (I don't know how much he charges) or he may simply choose to not deal with people who aren't "musical".
IMHO bay rappers and producers/composers should not place emphasis on bringing the bay back. They should place emphasis on bringing GOOD MUSIC back.