Reverend
harry
louis
williams II
The O.G. REV
Activist, Author,
preacher, Hip-Hop Artist,
Executive Director,
Ground Game Ministries
O.G. Rev and Ground Game Ministries exist to share hope and resources with those with their backs up against the wall in America's hoods where gunfire, hunger and homelessness have become heightened challenges during the pandemic.
Ground Game Ministries is a street level, boots on the ground ministry centered in Oakland, California where founder, Reverend Harry Louis Williams is affectionately known by many as,
"OG Rev, the "Hip-Hop Reverend.
BIOGRAPHY
A hail of bullets outside of his East Oakland window changed Reverend Harry Williams' life in the fall of 2002. The next morning as he traveled down the street to the neighborhood store, he noticed that a shrine comprised of teddy bears, balloons and empty Remy Martin bottles had been erected overnight. Someone had lost their life in that hail of bullets.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Reverend Harry Williams took to the streets for answers. He spoke to both drug users and drug traffickers about the madness that had engulfed the community. What he found shifted his focus a minister. The emphasis of his work came to involved the incarcerated and those returning to the society. He mentored gang involved youth and foster children. Williams’ founded a ministry to human trafficking victims. He became a board member for Homies Empowerment, a community based outreach to gang involved youth. As part of his street ministry, Harry Williams wrote 8 books. His novel, "Straight Outta East Oakland" became a hood classic.
OG Rev first became exposed to hip-hop in the late 1970s in New York City. In the 1980s, he became a recording artist under the name Incredible Mr. Freeze. In recent years, he has picked up his mic in an effort to reach youth who love the music. So far this year, he has recorded with Grammy nominated artist, Mistah Fab and hip-hop icon, Sadat X of Brand Nubian.
Harry Williams was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in Asbury Park, NJ. He holds a B.A. degree from Kean University, Union, NJ and a Master of Divinity Degree from Palmer Theological Seminary, St. Davids, PA. Currently, Reverend Williams (known in the community as O.G. Rev) serves as a community minister/activist in Oakland California. He is also the Interim Minister of Compassionate Care at the historic Glide Memorial Church in the San Francisco, Tenderloin.
Reverend Harry Williams is a champion for those who have no voice. He is a precious pillar of the Oakland, California faith community and an invaluable ally to Oakland’s disenfranchised youth.
Reverend Williams has chosen to do the hard but necessary work of confronting urban violence and human sex trafficking where it is happening – in the streets of our cities.
~Annie Campbell Washington
Former City Council Member – District Four
appearances and media
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A 6-page feature article on O.G. Rev appeared in the latest edition of world renowned magazine, "The Writer." It was written by Melissa Hart.
Click the thumbnail to the right to read it.
