EarHustle411 and the writing staff as well as many of artists, djs, producers and members of the Chicago entertainment industry have heavy hearts because of the loss of one of the industry’s most promising members. Super producer William Howell aka Harvy Allbangers transitioned into DJ and producer glory after succumbing to complications of pneumonia. Social media’s been all abuzz since Thursday April 28th when the news broke. Will, Harvy or even “Nip” as some of his close friends would call him are grief-stricken at the sudden loss of this humble and talented person.
Howell had numerous friends and associates who all loved him for the beautiful spirited person he was, EarHustle411’s Media Correspondent SunShyne talked with Maurice “DJ Titan” Davis on the phone about the sudden loss of Harvy Allbangers and he was very emotional but warm, humbling and grateful in his reflection of his friend.
EH411: Hi Maurice!! Thank you for taking some time to talk with us about Harvy Allbangers. Tell us little bit about him, we understand he was a DJ as well as a producer is that right?
MD: Hi There!! Back then I didn’t really know him as a DJ, I was a DJ then and an MC but he was a young rapper and he as always around, him and another guy named Audacity. They were part of J.A.W. Entertainment and they were written up in it was either The Source or VIBE Magazine as an up and coming hip hop duo. He was mad talented as far as being an MC.
EH411: Do you know when he became a producer?
MD: I can’t say for sure but from what I can remember when the duo was no longer together and he disappeared and we didn’t hear much from him but I recall he had another thing he was working on called “The Squared Circle”. It was really different, it wasn’t the same type of hip hop we were accustomed to but everybody was digging it on an underground level. If you’ve ever heard any of Prince Paul’s stuff, it was kind of cynical and funny and it was really dope. After that he disappeared again and I was like what the heck is going on, then all of a sudden this guy comes out named Harvy Allbangers. Before I knew Will was “Allbangers” everybody used to talk about this guy. They’d say Allbangers is “cold”, he’s doing these dope a** beats for everybody and come to find out it’s Will.
EH411: Oh wow, how cool is that?
MD: Very cool!! It’s Will, he’s resurfaced and changed his name…again! I got up with him after a while away. He was a very cool dude, we has many laughs together. He was always a fun-spirited type of guy, never anything negative, he was always on the positive side. He told me that I inspired him and he always wanted to be in that production realm like myself and Traxster, Tony Baines, No I.D, you know all these guys that were from Chicago doing great things.
EH411: What types of beats did Harvy make?
MD: You know when I started hearing the Allbangers beats, he had a style all of his own. No one could every take that style from him because when you heard it, you knew it was an Allbangers beat and he dropped that name in there with the little echo in it. You knew it was going to be a nice, hype type of track.
EH411: So would you say when Harvy Allbangers dropped a track, you knew it was going to be something special?
MD: YES!! The dude was phenomenal. A very spiritual minded , fun person and open individual. He would tell you the truth from the top. I’ve known him for years. When we were at 35th Street Studios we were working on a project and I don’t normally mix my own tracks when it comes to hip hop, so I left it up to Harvy to do it. When he got a hold of my track, it went from being to Titan track to an Allbangers track, he didn’t change it as far as adding sound to it but it was the way he mixed it and put his own flavor to it.
EH411: Can you tell us of other people Harvy has done music for?
MD: He did this thing called the Jay Z: Black A** Album, he did a bunch of remixes which was Allbangers’ version of Jay Z’s Black Album and I tell you it was “sick”. He worked with an artist named Raven as well. He did projects with Audacity when they were Bond and Nip. He worked with a lot of people, I couldn’t begin to surface all the people he has worked with. The work that this young man did, he made a name for himself quick. He just put his work out and everybody wanted a piece of it.
EH411: If you could tell us one great memory you have of Harvy Allbangers, what would that be?
MD: The greatest memory I have of him would have to be back in 1993, we did a show on the Northside and him and Audacity and the name of the song was something like “Chicken Wing” or something like that. OMG…they killed it!! They way they performed you knew you were listening to a true MC. You know Harvy probably did all the beats back then and I didn’t know it. The way he carried himself, the energy he brought to the people and made you smile, I love them. That’s how it should be in the first place, we need to embrace our Chicago talents. But I am honored to say that he was my friend, my brother in the game and he was just awesome. He was just an awesome dude and listening to him talk and how he loved to work on music, we’d talk producer talk and about his future plans. He moved to Seattle, he wanted more than just Chicago under his belt, this is his home but he got away from here to kind of get himself out there more.
EH411: Well Maurice, thank you for taking a moment to speak with us and sharing some information about Harvy’s life. We offer our condolences to you and all of your counterparts on the loss of Harvy Allbangers. We are keeping his family, friends and fans in our prayers
MD: Anytime and I thank you for reaching out to me.
Harvy Allbangers’ death as shocking as it was, it touched the hearts of many people who knew and loved him. His works and talent was exemplary and for those who were blessed to have Harvy Allbangers produce tracks for them truly have treasures in their possession. He surely will be missed.
REST IN POWER HARVY ALLBANGERS