Back in September of 2019, my brother Derrick Brown, known to most by his nickname & rap moniker name of Dough Van Gogh, released a dope 4-track EP entitled Days of Rest.

This past January he released a visual single off the project, called “Pellegrino”, shot and directed by Cut-N-Shoot.

If you are a Buffalo native, you definitely may have stopped by, or at the very least, heard about the fly ass functions and parties my Dirty Logan potnas would curate solo, or in conjunction with our Juug Talk family. From Fun with Friends to Tacos & Tequila, The Brown Water BBQ, Holiday toy drives & more you’ve been influenced by this Dirty Logan wave in some way, shape or form. There’s actually a dope event coming up for Cinco de Mayo in conjunction with Juug Tall and Hip Hop Karaoke you need to definitely check out.

Today I want to officially introduce the world to the front man of Dirty Logan Entertainment, my boy, Dough Van Gogh.

Born, Derrick Brown, in the heart of Buffalo’s East Side, hip hop artist Dough Van Gogh didn’t exactly always start out rapping. Heavily influenced by player shit, money, cars, women, clothes, jewelry, eating & living good, not to mention the everyday gutter surroundings in Buffalo, the then-producer changed his style up and the rest was history.

BuffaLowe: The year was “fill in the blank” ________ when young Dough decided to pick up a mic and rap?

Dough Van Gogh: Around the end of 2010, I decided shooting videos & producing beats weren’t really for me.

It was at this moment that he decided to switch his music focus and dedicate more time to his craft and artistry as a rapper.

Dough went on to record his first nlmixtape, OJ Simpson and released it in November 2011, the same day OJ The Juice ran for 273 yards on Thanksgiving 1976 for the Buffalo Bills. With some help from Mackenzie Harris (Kenzo) and myself, Rhonda Lowe (BuffaLowe) of Flagrant City and Thomas Agnew of Jenesis Magazine, the OJ Simpson mixtape was able to get chopped and screwed by none other than Houston, Texas Chopstars DJ Slim K in April 2012.

BuffaLowe:   For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve always been Dough to me. When you started rapping your name evolved from FernanDOUGH, to Fernandough The Poet, and then finally what it is today, Dough Van Gogh- what was the significance behind the most recent change and the new identity?

Dough Van Gogh: I chose to switch names because I wanted a fresh start. Something fresh, I felt Dough Van Gogh was me, vivid with painting portraits on tracks. The narrative of Vincent Van Gogh holds similarities to my own, he wasn’t appreciated till later on in his life, really damn near after his demise. I feel like I’m doing shit people aren’t too familiar with yet but they will & they’ll be like damn you been doing your thing for real all this time.

BuffaLowe:  Tell me what Dirty Logan is in your own words for those who may not know you personally or the affiliates of DL? 

Dough Van Gogh: Dirty Logan is a family & a representation of love for where you’re from. Hometown pride. Showing we have a culture out here in Buffalo too. There’s so many elements to us.

The very first Dirty Logan hosted Fun With Friends event was at Think-A-Lot Studios in May 2015 and featured other local hip hop acts such as Billie Essco, Dr. Woo, Truey V and WZA. The Fun With Friends Bonfire kicked off the next month in June 2015, Tacos With Friends in August 2015. Then Dough performed in Pittsburgh, PA at Boom Concepts in conjunction with Jenesis Magazine for the August Agenda in late August 2015. The Fun With Friends event series now had some traction. To this day you can turn up at a dope Dirty Logan function in Buffalo. They just did a kick back mixer event with Juug Talk for Mardi Gras.

BuffaLowe:  What single, feature or project means the most to you right now and why?  Which one speaks most to where you are right now? 

Dough Van Gogh: I would say Days of Rest, definitely. I’m just talking my shit about my day to day ups & downs. Shit me & the homies going through, being genuine. Loving the shit we’re up to & striving for more.

BuffaLowe:  How would you say your style has evolved since you first started doing music?  Flow, beat selection, method of recording? 

Dough Van Gogh: I’d say that I’m more open to telling my story & things I’m doing. Not worried about feedback & others opinions, just doing what feels & sounds right to me. My ear is sharper I know what fits & what doesn’t, wasting less time on shit thats forced. Real comfortable. On my player shit.

BuffaLowe:  Who or what influences your craft?  What motivates Dough Van Gogh?

Dough Van Gogh: I’m honestly influenced by player shit, money, cars, women, clothes, jewelry, eating & living good, the homies, my surroundings etc.

BuffaLowe:  How was 2019 creatively & musically for you? Any personal or professional accolades and accomplishments,  that you would like to mention, feel free to talk yo shit one time.  What did you release (events, performances, merch, singles, videos, EPs, albums) and what can we expect the rest of this year?

Dough Van Gogh: 2019 was real good. Eye opening. I’ve seen what being consistent & moving around can get you & the positions you can find yourself in. Dropping projects after projects I’ve seen the support step up so that’s definitely in my formula for this year just more & more, music & videos. Merchandise too, the creative eye enhanced, people feeling damn near everything, so I’m stepping up there too. The gang just out to bring a new energy & experience from Buffalo, that cool player shit. It’s around but it needs more of light shined on it. Trust it’s more niggas out on that type of time & the ladies feeling it- opposed to everyone forcing shit they aint.

BuffaLowe: Damn right Dough, damn right. Make sure you follow Dough Van Gogh on Spotify, Twitter, Instagram, Apple Music! He released the Pellegrino video single this year, the solo projects Round 2 EP, Days of Rest dropped towards the end of 2019, along with a few collaboration projects, one with Don! called Situations and a group project with Don! And Needo Stakkz entitled Player Shit Vol. 1.