Andrew Ballen
Encyclopedia
Andrew Craig Ballen is a Jamaican-American television producer, A&R executive, entrepreneur and television personality, based in Shanghai, China.
More often known as Da Long (大龙), or Big Dragon, he is a familiar foreign-face on Chinese TV. Ballen is known throughout China for his role as host of China’s first and most popular nationally aired bi-lingual travel series, Getaway, and as a talent judge on the multi-media reality show REMIX. He is also Chief Executive and Founder of the multi-media content business AVD Media Group, and is credited with introducing Hip Hop and club culture to China’s youth.
-born and Jamaica
n parents, Sandra, an artist and Patrick, a general surgeon. Ballen was raised in Greensboro, North Carolina
by his father and step-mother, Naomi with sisters Sharon and Jennifer. As an early adolescent Ballen engaged in some riotous antics that convinced his parents he needed greater structure and intellectual challenge than the public schools in Greensboro could provide. After a battery of intellectual and psychological tests affirmed their instincts, his parents decided he would do best in the highly structured and challenging environment of a military college preparatory school. The decision was a good one, because though Ballen would remain an intellectual rebel and outside of the box thinker, the change of environment positively impacted and possibly saved his life. At the age of 14, Ballen left home to attend Hargrave Military Academy
, in Chatham, Va. In Ballen’s senior year at Hargrave, he attained the rank of Corps Commander, becoming the first person of colour in school history to do so. Ballen majored in Political Science and International Affairs at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the mid 1990s, he was inducted into Pi Sigma Alpha
(National Political Science Honor Society) and earned a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship in International Affairs. Ballen's Woodrow Wilson Fellowship recommendation was written by Columbia Professor of Sociology Peter Bearman
, who was a professor at UNC during Ballen’s undergraduate studies there. Ballen served as Bearman’s undergraduate teaching assistant in his Sociology 010 course. Bearman's use of a few select undergraduates as paid Teaching Assistants was a controversial move, but Ballen credits Bearman's faith in him as a major boost to his unorthodox intellectual style and confidence. Ballen spent summer internships pursuing his interest in sound public policy, spending a particularly rewarding summer writing health insurance policy recommendations for the Lt. Governor of North Carolina Dennis A. Wicker
. He later attended Duke University
Law School, in Durham, North Carolina. Ballen left Duke after two unsuccessful years, unsatisfied with the constraints of a legal education.
with a thousand dollars worth of traveller’s cheques given him by his father. He came with his then girlfriend, driven Ballen says “by a desire to prove to myself and the world that I could build success on my own terms, even on the other side of the world”.
A recent law school drop-out, unable to speak a word of Mandarin, with no contacts in China, Ballen first found work teaching English at the Wall Street Institute
. While teaching he discovered a natural talent for Mandarin, which mixed with a wry but warm sense of humour landed him several guest appearances on Shanghai Media Group
entertainment programming and a regular guest slot on the popular Shanghai talk show Live It Up Shanghai. Ballen immediately noticed that there were several unorthodox ways to commercialize some of China’s under-utilized media platforms. Leveraging China’s yet un-commercialized media platforms later became a key trademark of Ballen’s business style.
A long time hip-hop lover, it was while frequenting Shanghai night spots that he and long-time friend Adam Wilkes observed China’s lack of a hip-hop and urban club scene. This led to the idea of Hip Hop Thursday’s, held at popular night club, Pegasus, targeting the younger international student crowd. Ballen and Pegasus were featured in the fly-on-the-wall documentary No Sleep Til Shanghai
. The weekly parties became highly successful, leading Ballen to bring to China for the first time the likes of Crooklyn Clan
, Ice-T
, Coolio
, DJ Jazzy Jeff
and Asian-American hip-hop artists Far East Movement
and MC Jin. serving as the benchmark formula for other clubs in Shanghai
and Beijing
. Ballen's unorthodox entertainment-driven success was covered in a book by Darren J. Perkins entitled Business is War: The Unfinished Business of Black America
Ballen was also the first A&R
Exec. to have Chinese mega-star Leehom Wang perform in a club setting,. when he presented the MC Jin/Leehom Wang collaboration to promote Leehom’s single and studio album “Heroes of the Earth”. Asian-American rapping upstart Tim Wu opened for MC Jin and Leehom at Ballen’s Pernod-Ricard sponsored 2006 club concert series.
Ballen went on to host China’s first and most popular nationally aired bi-lingual travel adventure series, Getaway from 2003 until 2007. No other non-Chinese presenter hosted a nationally broadcast TV series for a longer duration. On Getaway, Ballen toured China by car, conversing with locals and exploring local culture and cuisine, starring in hundreds of episodes. Getaway appeared on Dragon TV and Channel Young and later aired nationally on CCTV News
, and currently airs on ICS
.
Several brands have used Ballen’s voice based on its distinctive gravelly bass sound, including China Bank of Communications
, McDonald’s, Motorola
and Toshiba
.
Ballen also served as co-host and co-producer of China's first nationally broadcast Western Pop Music radio show I-music.
. His company and partners were the only organization in China permitted to bring foreign artists into Beijing (for non-IOC sanctioned event programming) hosting the likes of Paolo Nutini
and Bob Marley
's son Julian Marley
for Beijing Olympic concert appearances.
featured Ballen in their weeklong 2011 expose’ entitled China Week. During the interview Ballen made the startling assertion that he believed “China and its system of governance [had] positively redefined social justice
”. Ballen’s interview was the highest rated programme on PBS in 2011 and has subsequently re-aired twice View entire interview here.
More often known as Da Long (大龙), or Big Dragon, he is a familiar foreign-face on Chinese TV. Ballen is known throughout China for his role as host of China’s first and most popular nationally aired bi-lingual travel series, Getaway, and as a talent judge on the multi-media reality show REMIX. He is also Chief Executive and Founder of the multi-media content business AVD Media Group, and is credited with introducing Hip Hop and club culture to China’s youth.
Biography
Ballen was born in New York, NY. He is the son of BelizeBelize
Belize is a constitutional monarchy and the northernmost country in Central America. Belize has a diverse society, comprising many cultures and languages. Even though Kriol and Spanish are spoken among the population, Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official...
-born and Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n parents, Sandra, an artist and Patrick, a general surgeon. Ballen was raised in Greensboro, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
by his father and step-mother, Naomi with sisters Sharon and Jennifer. As an early adolescent Ballen engaged in some riotous antics that convinced his parents he needed greater structure and intellectual challenge than the public schools in Greensboro could provide. After a battery of intellectual and psychological tests affirmed their instincts, his parents decided he would do best in the highly structured and challenging environment of a military college preparatory school. The decision was a good one, because though Ballen would remain an intellectual rebel and outside of the box thinker, the change of environment positively impacted and possibly saved his life. At the age of 14, Ballen left home to attend Hargrave Military Academy
Hargrave Military Academy
Hargrave Military Academy is a private American boarding school located in the town of Chatham, Virginia.Hargrave is a school affiliated with the Baptist General Association of Virginia emphasizing Christian values that focuses on a college and military preparatory program...
, in Chatham, Va. In Ballen’s senior year at Hargrave, he attained the rank of Corps Commander, becoming the first person of colour in school history to do so. Ballen majored in Political Science and International Affairs at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the mid 1990s, he was inducted into Pi Sigma Alpha
Pi sigma alpha
Pi Sigma Alpha , the National Political Science Honor Society, is the only honor society for college and university students of political science in the United States. Its purpose is to recognize and promote high academic achievement in the field of political science...
(National Political Science Honor Society) and earned a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship in International Affairs. Ballen's Woodrow Wilson Fellowship recommendation was written by Columbia Professor of Sociology Peter Bearman
Peter Bearman
Peter Shawn Bearman is an American sociologist. He is Jonathan Cole Professor of the Social Sciences in the Department of Sociology at Columbia University....
, who was a professor at UNC during Ballen’s undergraduate studies there. Ballen served as Bearman’s undergraduate teaching assistant in his Sociology 010 course. Bearman's use of a few select undergraduates as paid Teaching Assistants was a controversial move, but Ballen credits Bearman's faith in him as a major boost to his unorthodox intellectual style and confidence. Ballen spent summer internships pursuing his interest in sound public policy, spending a particularly rewarding summer writing health insurance policy recommendations for the Lt. Governor of North Carolina Dennis A. Wicker
Dennis A. Wicker
Dennis A. Wicker is a North Carolina lawyer and politician from Sanford who served as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives , and as Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina...
. He later attended Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
Law School, in Durham, North Carolina. Ballen left Duke after two unsuccessful years, unsatisfied with the constraints of a legal education.
Career
Ballen began his journey in Shanghai on August 29, 2001, roughly two weeks before 9/11. He arrived in ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
with a thousand dollars worth of traveller’s cheques given him by his father. He came with his then girlfriend, driven Ballen says “by a desire to prove to myself and the world that I could build success on my own terms, even on the other side of the world”.
A recent law school drop-out, unable to speak a word of Mandarin, with no contacts in China, Ballen first found work teaching English at the Wall Street Institute
Wall Street Institute
Wall Street Institute is among the largest providersof English language instruction to adults and corporate clients around the world. WSI was established in 1972 in Italy by Italian Luigi Tiziano Peccenini...
. While teaching he discovered a natural talent for Mandarin, which mixed with a wry but warm sense of humour landed him several guest appearances on Shanghai Media Group
Shanghai Media Group
Shanghai Media Group , under the Shanghai Media & Entertainment Group , is a multimedia television and radio broadcasting, news and Internet company...
entertainment programming and a regular guest slot on the popular Shanghai talk show Live It Up Shanghai. Ballen immediately noticed that there were several unorthodox ways to commercialize some of China’s under-utilized media platforms. Leveraging China’s yet un-commercialized media platforms later became a key trademark of Ballen’s business style.
A long time hip-hop lover, it was while frequenting Shanghai night spots that he and long-time friend Adam Wilkes observed China’s lack of a hip-hop and urban club scene. This led to the idea of Hip Hop Thursday’s, held at popular night club, Pegasus, targeting the younger international student crowd. Ballen and Pegasus were featured in the fly-on-the-wall documentary No Sleep Til Shanghai
No Sleep til Shanghai
No Sleep til Shanghai is a 2007 documentary film. It stars Jin and was directed by Todd Angkasuwan.-Plot:Riding the notoriety of winning the weekly Freestyle Friday rap battle on BET’s 106 and Park for seven consecutive weeks, Jin shattered seemingly insurmountable boundaries and stereotypes by...
. The weekly parties became highly successful, leading Ballen to bring to China for the first time the likes of Crooklyn Clan
The Crooklyn Clan
The Crooklyn Clan is a New York based Hip-Hop and Mash Up production team. The members are Brooklyn NY natives DJ Sizzahandz & DJ Riz. The group was formed in 1993 with their first release on Nervous Records....
, Ice-T
ICE-T
* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
, Coolio
Coolio
Artis Leon Ivey Jr. , better known by the stage name Coolio, is an American musician, rapper, actor and record producer.-Late 80s:He recorded two singles in the late 80s, titled "Watcha Gonna Do" and "You're Gonna Miss Me"...
, DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Jeffrey Allen Townes , also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is an American hip hop, R&B record producer, turntablist and actor. He is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince...
and Asian-American hip-hop artists Far East Movement
Far east movement
Far East Movement is an Asian American electro hop quartet based in Los Angeles. The group formed in 2003 and consists of Kev Nish , Prohgress , J-Splif , and DJ Virman...
and MC Jin. serving as the benchmark formula for other clubs in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. Ballen's unorthodox entertainment-driven success was covered in a book by Darren J. Perkins entitled Business is War: The Unfinished Business of Black America
Ballen was also the first A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
Exec. to have Chinese mega-star Leehom Wang perform in a club setting,. when he presented the MC Jin/Leehom Wang collaboration to promote Leehom’s single and studio album “Heroes of the Earth”. Asian-American rapping upstart Tim Wu opened for MC Jin and Leehom at Ballen’s Pernod-Ricard sponsored 2006 club concert series.
Getaway Travel Series
In 2002, a well-connected Wall Street Institute student recommended Ballen to radio personality Michelle Wu to become her co-host on popular local radio show “Live It Up Shanghai”, thus starting off his media career. He quickly saw that no sponsors or advertising existed for the show – the same being true later for his TV show Getaway. Ballen seized on this gap in the market, starting his own company (BallenWest Events Media, later AVD Media Group) targeting sponsors seeking China’s youth market and bi-lingual white collar college graduates.Ballen went on to host China’s first and most popular nationally aired bi-lingual travel adventure series, Getaway from 2003 until 2007. No other non-Chinese presenter hosted a nationally broadcast TV series for a longer duration. On Getaway, Ballen toured China by car, conversing with locals and exploring local culture and cuisine, starring in hundreds of episodes. Getaway appeared on Dragon TV and Channel Young and later aired nationally on CCTV News
CCTV News
CCTV News may refer to:* CCTV News, the news department itself, of China Central Television* CCTV News , a Chinese language news channel* CCTV NEWS, formerly CCTV-9, an English language news channel...
, and currently airs on ICS
International Channel Shanghai
International Channel Shanghai, better known as ICS, is the foreign-language cable channel of Shanghai Media Group. Long before the parent company was known as SMG, Shanghai Television Station began producing the English-language “News at Ten” in 1986. On January 1, 2008, ICS replaced the Shanghai...
.
Several brands have used Ballen’s voice based on its distinctive gravelly bass sound, including China Bank of Communications
Bank of Communications
Bank of Communications Limited , founded in 1908, is one of the largest banks in China.-Before 1949:The Bank of Communications was founded in 1908 and emerged as one of the first few major national and note-issuing banks in the early days of the Republic of China...
, McDonald’s, Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
and Toshiba
Toshiba
is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and...
.
Ballen also served as co-host and co-producer of China's first nationally broadcast Western Pop Music radio show I-music.
Beijing Olympics
In 2008, as China hosted the Beijing Summer Olympics, Ballen was responsible for handling Jamaica’s media, event production and public relations activities, including all event programming related to Jamaican track and field sensation Usain BoltUsain Bolt
The Honourable Usain St. Leo Bolt, OJ, C.D. , is a Jamaican sprinter and a five-time World and three-time Olympic gold medalist. He is the world record and Olympic record holder in the 100 metres, the 200 metres and the 4×100 metres relay...
. His company and partners were the only organization in China permitted to bring foreign artists into Beijing (for non-IOC sanctioned event programming) hosting the likes of Paolo Nutini
Paolo Nutini
Paolo Giovanni Nutini is a Scottish singer, songwriter and musician from Paisley. His father is of Italian descent, from Barga, Tuscany, although both his parents are Scottish, his family having been in Scotland for three generations....
and Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
's son Julian Marley
Julian Marley
Julian Ricardo Marley is an English Jamaican reggae musician. He is the son of Bob Marley and a Bajan mother, Lucy Pounder. He is a member of the Rastafari movement.-Biography:...
for Beijing Olympic concert appearances.
Launch of REMIX and the 020 Business model
In 2011, Ballen’s Company launched China’s first bi-lingual reality series, REMIX, a talent series for amateur young Chinese performers. With auditions via online micro-videos, winners are pitched against Chinese and Western stars to see whose version of global hits is best. REMIX is shown across China and Asia on TV and online. REMIX is the first content plug that inserts content into a newly established 020 (online-to-offline) business model, tying content to offline branded events, that in turn link with online social media and video-based community building, that will in turn reinforce the offline event activations creating a symbiotic cycle of growth.Selected Honours and Awards
- Credited by CNN Money Magazine with helping to bring Hip Hop and club culture to China (2001)
- Winner: Shanghai Media Group “Best Foreign Host” Award (2003, 2004, 2005)
- Rated as one of China’s Top 5 most famous foreigners (2006)
- Caribbean American Heritage Awards “Vanguard Award” recipient (2008)
Trivia
PBS and Tavis SmileyTavis Smiley
Tavis Smiley is a talk show host, author, liberal political commentator, entrepreneur, advocate and philanthropist. Smiley was born in Gulfport, Mississippi and grew up in Kokomo, Indiana. After attending Indiana University, he worked during the late 1980s as an aide to Tom Bradley, the mayor of...
featured Ballen in their weeklong 2011 expose’ entitled China Week. During the interview Ballen made the startling assertion that he believed “China and its system of governance [had] positively redefined social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
”. Ballen’s interview was the highest rated programme on PBS in 2011 and has subsequently re-aired twice View entire interview here.
External links
- http://www.avdmg.com
- http://remix.tudou.com
- http://www.remixlive.cn