In a Youtube interview that aired on December 17, 2021, Nardwuar, a quirky host who always asks unexpected questions, interviewed Baltimore rapper JPEGMAFIA. About ten minutes into the interview, in front of Malibu Beach, Nardwuar said, “Speaking of legends, OG Dutch…”
“OG Dutch Master,” JPEGMAFIA said, completing the sentence. He seemed both shocked and surprised. “OG Dutch Master… fuck. Yeah, OG Dutch Master from Baltimore.”
The rapper went on to explain OG Dutch Master’s significance to him.
“When I was coming up in Baltimore, he was one of the guys who kind of laid the foundation for my crew of people that were coming up at the time,” he said. “He’s like a Baltimore legend.”
Anthony Glenn White II, also known as OG Dutch Master, was born on January 30, 1993. He was a Renaissance man — a rapper, a painter, a chef, a friend, an author, a mentor, and a father. He made space for other people to shine as much as he did himself. He passed away on February 28, 2024.
“OG Dutch Master was the person who laid the groundwork for the Baltimore rap scene,”
producer, D.J., and cultural curator Que Pequeño, also known as BmoreAlien, told Baltimore Beat.
“Along with [rap collectives] 7th Floor Villains and CCLS, OG Master was the one to not only bridge the gap between Baltimore and the DMV but was also the one to let people know that we can make strides with music,” he said.
“When I first met Dutchy, he was a baby-faced kid. One of the 7th Floor Villains crew. But he quickly found his own lane and never looked back,” said rapper, organizer, and promoter Eze Jackson.
OG Dutch Master’s most recent role was as a parent.
“The last time I saw him, he was a new father and, in every aspect, a grown man. He’d become a leader in every regard and felt excited to see where he’d grow from there,” Jackson said.
Jackson said OG Dutch Master’s presence and growth, his kindness, talent, and energy, actually represent the multiplicity of Baltimore.
Jackson said Dutchy’s presence and growth, his kindness, talent, and energy actually represent the multiplicity of Baltimore.
“Dutchy represented a part of creative Baltimore that I’ve always wanted to see more of,” Jackson said. “Boys from the hood who are artsy but also intelligent. To me, he looked more like us than anything ‘The Wire’ or typical street rap ever really offered.”
Ac Abdullah first met OG Dutch Master in 2016 when his shop Pipe Dreamz, a Baltimore event space and boutique, was located in a small space on Howard Street’s antique row. At that point, OG Dutch Master was on a hiatus from performing. He visited Pipe Dreamz often.
“I would show him how to pray, and we would pray together,” Abdullah said.
Abdullah got a bigger sense of the impact OG Dutch Master had on others when he was planning a show for the energy drink company Red Bull.
“A bunch of people in the shop were like, ‘You know him? You know OG Dutch Master?’”
“I didn’t know he rapped,” Abdullah said. “People in the shop quickly went online and pulled up articles about him and videos of him performing with the likes of JPEG Mafia, A$AP Ant, and Butch Dawson.”
Abdullah’s surprise at OG Dutch Master’s rap career was a testament to his humility and his quiet genius.
“To me he was just Dutchy, he was a savant,” Abdullah said.
“Anything he wanted to do in my space, I allowed him to do that. He was a chef. He had yoga sessions. He was a healer. He was a connector. It’s rare to find people who are that intentional with no strings attached. I deeply miss him.”
Despite all of OG Dutch Master’s success, he remained humble.
“He had all the reasons to be arrogant, but he never was. Despite all his accolades and accomplishments, he never was arrogant.” Abdullah said.
Abdullah also emphasized how OG Dutch Master had a way of bringing creative people together.
Brent Faiyaz, the DMV singer who used to be a regular at Pipe Dreamz, made an appearance in one of OG Dutch Master’s music videos.
“Brent was down at the shop, and Dutchy came past, and somehow he convinced this man to be in his [music] video,” Abdullah said. “It’s just so random, but it was off the strength of one conversation with [OG Dutch Master] outside. After that conversation, he loved Dutchy. After that, they sat down there for two hours. Every time I see that video or see a picture from that day, it brings back such funny memories.”
Shae McCoy, photographer and master gardener, first met the artist at Pipe Dreamz in 2019 when she interviewed him for her blog The Uncommon Realist.
“I’ve only known him for a short period of time, but I’d like to send my love and condolences to his loved ones,” she told Baltimore Beat. McCoy also emphasized OG Dutch Master’s genuine kindness. “He always made sure he was inclusive and showed love,” she said.
His big brother Edward “Eddie” Coleman knew OG Dutch Master as “Glenn.”
“Everyone knew him as Dutchy, but I always called him Glenn,” he said. “Growing up, he was a very good kid. He was always being helpful, trying to be there for somebody, that’s his personality. He was an entrepreneur. Trying to do everything, trying to be everything.”
OG Dutch’s legacy will never end in Baltimore. The indelible impact he made on everyone he encountered will never be forgotten. He truly impacted, shifted, and positively shaped the culture of music here.
OG Dutchy’s legacy will never end in Baltimore. The indelible impact he made on everyone he encountered will never be forgotten.
“His ideas are still influential to this day and he was without a doubt a cultural forefather. Not afraid to try his hand at new things, he was the meaning of ‘New Baltimore.’ Pequeño said.
“There won’t be another OG Dutch Master.”
“His ideas are still influential to this day and he was without a doubt a cultural forefather. Not afraid to try his hand at new things, he was the meaning of “New Baltimore.” BmoreAlien told Baltimore Beat. And as he said, quite perfectly. “There won’t be another OG Dutch Master.”