Derrick N. Ashong

Broadcaster, Musician & Social Entrepreneur

Derrick N. Ashong

Broadcaster, Musician & Social Entrepreneur

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Biography

“We’re counting on that one,” said Archbishop Desmond Tutu of Derrick N. Ashong (DNA), who was born in a house with no running water in Accra, Ghana, and rose to become an international thought leader at the nexus of Media, Tech, and Social Enterprise.

An Emmy-nominated TV host and producer, Derrick has pioneered meaningful, innovative content across all platforms over the past twenty years. He is the founder of amp.it, a tech startup that drives and measures engagement for digital content, and is the creator of two-time Interactive Emmy finalist, The World Cup of Hip Hop: Take Back the Mic, which gives a voice to young artists and fans around the world.

While still an undergraduate at Harvard, Derrick made his Hollywood debut as a supporting actor in Steven Spielberg's Amistad. He went back to Harvard to do Ph.D. research on how Open Source software concepts could influence the content industries, attracting the attention of multi-platinum record producer, Dave Stewart, who recruited him to consult for major brands like Nokia and Visa.

Derrick has spoken about issues of Tech, Media and Society on five continents at venues that include UK Parliament, the United Nations, Stanford, Harvard and Wharton Business Schools, and MIT. He has hosted and moderated events for world leaders, including Nobel Laureates Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev. He has also moderated events featuring Gilberto Gil, Ted Turner, Tommy Hilfiger, Bob Geldof, Queen Rania of Jordan, and former President Bill Clinton at the Club de Madrid.

His interviews have ranged from celebrities like John Legend, Jimmi Cliff, Zoe Zaldana, and Alek Wek, to Jane Goodall, David Axelrod, Jeb Bush, and Kofi Annan. He has been a TED Fellow, a Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow, a member of the African Leadership Network, and a fellow of the Americas Business Council.

DNA hosted Oprah Radio's interactive The Derrick Ashong Experience on SIRIUS XM and helmed the inaugural year of Al Jazeera English's cutting-edge, social media TV show The Stream, which was nominated for an Emmy Award and won a Royal Television Society Award. He also hosted the eponymous interactive television show DNA TV for Fusion.

He is the leader of the critically acclaimed Afropolitan band Soulfège, which has charted on both sides of the Atlantic and won the Billboard Songwriting Contest for Best Hip-Hop Song. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Los Angeles.

Speaker Videos

The Voice of a New Generation

Being a Master Communicator

Take Back the Mic: The World Cup of Hip Hop (Trailer)

Take Back the Mic: The World Cup of Hip Hop (Season 2 Trailer)

Agent of Inspiration (Audio)

Michigan Keynote on Immigration

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Speech Topics

AI: The Human Element

AI is evolving at light-speed, but humanity has been slow to grasp the implications. While technology has improved many aspects of human life, it has also brought deep challenges, from the rise of disinformation to an epidemic of loneliness. How do we as a society plan in advance, for the potential challenges of the most powerful technology in human history, and build into it a set of core values that safeguard the future of humanity?

The Digital South: Reaching the Next Billion

There are seismic shifts taking place in the global population. Societies around the world are aging, except in Africa, the only continent whose population is both young (average age 19) and growing. Even as developed countries face imminent population decline, the youth in their communities are more connected to global culture than ever before. How do we speak to the first truly global generation, in every corner of the world, in ways that resonate and help them build a better future?

A New Kind of Leadership: Beyond the Politics of the Past

We live in a world where people are losing faith in institutions we used to rely upon - from the Press, to Religion, to Governments, Banks and Academia. At the same time a new generation of voices has risen up to share their own value systems, leveraging new technologies to reach massive audiences. It’s time to revisit what leadership looks like in the modern world, and explore how to train, identify and learn from the next generation of global leaders.

Age of Intimacy: Finding Connection in a Disconnected World

Technology has given us access to the entire world and made us lonelier than ever in the process. At a time when young people struggle to meet, date and form families, conversations on masculinity, femininity and the rules of intimacy have been hijacked by extreme ideas that threaten to further separate us. How can we reimagine our identities, communities and ideals in order to build deeper, more meaningful experiences that help bridge the new, gendered face of the digital divide?

Testimonials

"Derrick Ashong was the keynote speaker for our closing banquet. Everyone absolutely LOVED his speech. Most people said it was the "icing on the cake." He captured the audience’s attention. The president of Texas A&M University also attended and it seemed like he really enjoyed himself. I want to personally thank you for recommending Derrick Ashong as a keynote speaker."

- Texas A&M University

"Derrick Ashong received a standing ovation at our Annual Student Leadership Day in which he motivated, inspired and educated over 450 student leaders! A MUST HAVE Speaker!"

- SUNY Jefferson

"Not only was Derrick an inspiring speaker who set the tone for our whole meeting, he was also a pleasure to work with at every instance. He was incredibly well-prepared and thoughtful about the issues at hand, and pushed our colleagues to think about the essential role of culture in society as a way of framing our work in arts education. He was also unfailingly generous with his time and willingness to speak with everyone who had a question for him."

- Senior Associate for Communications and Partnerships, Arts Education Partnership

"Ashong was an absolute success at Keene State College. It was a great turnout and people loved him. He was amazing. Thank you for such a great experience."

- Keene State College

"He is a very dynamic speaker who has spoken across the nation and in West Africa and the Caribbean."

- Midwestern State University

"Derrick is amazing. One of the best education conference keynoters I've ever seen -- over 30+ years."

- Arts Education Partnership National Forum Attendee

"Mr. Ashong was the best opening plenary presenter I have seen at AEP - or anywhere else for that matter. A perfect opening. Thank you."

- Arts Education Partnership National Forum Attendee

"Definitely one of the highlights of this forum - outstanding, inspiring and thought-provoking! Fresh perspective, great energy, very engaging speaker."

- Arts Education Partnership National Forum Attendee

"It was a fantastic, inspirational, and deeply unifying discussion that everyone could benefit from hearing."

- Director of the Distinguished Lecture Series, University of Wisconsin-Madison