In late 2019 I relaunched the RapReviews Patreon account with a streamlined, simplified goal — covering our webhosting costs each month. Thanks to your support we’ve now hit 85% of that goal! When we reach 100% all banner ads on the website will go away. It has been a constant struggle with advertising given that Google sets a minimum threshold to pay out any of your earnings, which means it can be several months until you get paid. Depending on sporadic payouts to cover the operating costs for a site is thus completely unsustainable.

As it turns out there’s another benefit to supporting RapReviews besides covering our expenses and eliminating our banner ads — editorial freedom. Google AdSense can limit what ads you receive or suspend advertising altogether if they find any content on a page where ads appear offensive or objectionable. Hip-Hop music has never shied away from being political, controversial and outspoken, which means it can be incredibly hard to toe a line between accurate coverage and running afoul of the corporate entities funneling large money into advertising. Google has the right to protect their own interests, but in doing so they hardly protect the interests of their ad partners when it comes to uncensored and unfiltered free speech.

This makes your pledge to RapReviews incredibly valuable. $1 a month moves us 1% closer to achieving the full funding that not only covers all of our expenses but ensures that RR never has to choose between what we cover and what advertisers are comfortable with. There’s nothing more disheartening than receiving a notification from Google that you’re “not compliant” with whatever issue they’ve raised with your content on any given day. For less than the cost of a cup of coffee at Panera, Starbucks or any other chain you can think of, RapReviews.com never has to deal with this issue ever again. Please support RapReviews to eliminate banner ads, cover our hosting costs, and keep our reviews and articles uncensored. Whatever amount you can give is greatly appreciated!

Regards,
Steve ‘Flash’ Juon, RapReviews EIC