Street Soldiers is an Omega Boys Club sponsored, solutions oriented, weekly call-in show for youth, that focuses on the issues of violence, gangs, drugs, teen pregnancy and other topics which need attention in the community.
The program began when rap performer Hammer approached Keith Naftly, KMEL Program Director with the concept for a show that focuses on social concerns. The show was dubbed "Street Soldiers" after a song on one of Hammer's albums. The first show aired in November, 1991 and was hosted by Hammer. The show was an instant success. After the first show with Hammer, Joseph Marshall, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Omega Boys Club, was selected by the management at KMEL to be Hammer's successor and permanent host of Street Soldiers. Dr. Marshall and the Omega Boys Club have been airing the "Street Soldiers" message ever since.
Street Soldiers is a vital part of Omega Boys Club's work with young people. The show has been on the air every week for over ten years, and each week more than forty calls are answered on the air. The callers are all ages and are from diverse backgrounds. Gang members, drug dealers, teen mothers, grandfathers, grandmothers and others in the community all call, seeking immediate solutions to their problems and someone to talk with.
There has been both empirical and anecdotal evidence that Street Soldiers has been instrumental in stopping violence. Many listeners have indicated that they have changed their way of thinking or acting as a result of listening to the show.
In 1997, the Street Soldiers Radio Show was syndicated and is now heard in 12 radio markets by approximately 300,000 listeners. Sinbad, Malik Yoba and Jada Pinkett-Smith are just a few of the many guests who have appeared on the show.
The host of Street Soldiers is Dr. Joseph Marshall, Executive Director of the Omega Boys Club, assisted by Club staff.
The Omega Boys Club has federal trademark registrations of Street Soldiers and 1-800-SOLDIER so the marks can be used to carry the message of no violence, no drugs, no gangs, and no teen pregnancy to youth all over America.
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