Love the People God Gave You: Remembering the Legacy of Melvin “Mel-V” Germaine Hover
by James Coulter
They say you should love the people God gave you, because one day, He will need them back.
That was the guiding life principle for Melvin Germaine Hover, affectionately known as “Mel-V” by friends and family.
Mel-V was a local musician who created music and music videos with his friends, including Kerry Michael Davis Jr., known by his performer name “Lil Fab.”
On Nov. 1, 2011, Mel-V was driving Kerry and his two brothers to Mel’s house after a music video shoot when their vehicle was hit by a truck.
Heath and Heather Woolman pried Kerry and his two brothers from the damaged vehicle, but they could not rescue Mel-V, as the truck had struck his side of the vehicle. The car exploded and took Mel-V with it. He was only 19.
Kerry has since gone on to become the owner and operator of ImFabolous LLC, a unique business that, as he puts it, “sits at the intersection of music, production, streetwear design, and community development.”
The fire consumed the vehicle along with all of Kerry’s physical music and videos. However, about a month later, a miracle occurred when the Sheriff’s office knocked on his door to return a plastic bag recovered from the scene containing his lost music.
Motivated by this second chance and a desire to keep his brother’s memory alive, Lil Fab dedicated his life to his craft, releasing the music in honor of Mel-V’s legacy.
“Mel-V was more than just a young man. He was a really vibrant, he was a light, he was the inspiration behind me,” Kerry said.
To honor his late friend’s legacy, Kerry is planning the first annual Mel-V Day celebration, an upcoming performance event planned for later this year as a celebration of life, music, and community unity, and dedicated to the principle young Mel-V lived by: “Love the people God gave you, because one day He will need them back.”
For Kerry, the event will be more than a community get-together. He envisions it as an opportunity “to create economic and social change” and to honor a legacy that serves as a “foundation for a mission to transform our community.”
Through his passion for music, Mel-V inspired Kerry, and now Kerry hopes that his late friend’s legacy will inspire others in the same way.
“His goal was music; it was always music,” Kerry said. “A lot of the drive was up to him. We kept it going because it is too powerful.”
The first annual Mel-V Day is planned for Sun. Nov. 1, 2026, with the venue to be determined. The event is currently seeking vendors, performers, and sponsors.
For more information, contact Davis on Instagram (@thereallilfab), on Facebook (Kerry LilFab Davis), or via email at: [email protected].
Kerry “Lil Fab” Davis recently appeared on the Chattin on the Ridge podcast to discuss his late friend Melvin “Mel-V” Germaine Hover and the upcoming Mel-V Day celebration.
Listen to the full episode on Acast: https://shows.acast.com/chattin-on-the-ridge/episodes/ep-84-first-annual-mel-v-day-wkerry-michael-davis-jr-lil-fab
