Ryan Patrick Hooper is the award-winning host and producer of CultureShift on 101.9 WDET-FM Detroit’s NPR station. Hooper has covered stories for the New York Times, NPR, Detroit Free Press, Hour Detroit, SPIN and Paste magazine.

Hooper grew up reading the Sunday paper with his dad. That’s where he learned the basics of writing while dreaming of one day writing the stories himself. At 16, he knocked on the door of his hometown paper and asked for a job as a reporter. Since then, he's written extensively for the Detroit Free Press -- the same paper he grew up reading.

Since joining WDET in 2017, Hooper has expanded the station’s arts and culture coverage and received numerous awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasting along the way. Nationally, Hooper was awarded a 2020 RTDNA Regional Edward R. Murrow award for feature reporting for his story “Would You Rent a Stray Dog From the City of Detroit?“ In 2018, Hooper was named the Associated Press Michigan Editors Broadcast Rising Star in broadcast journalism. He received the prestigious Crain’s Detroit Business “20 In Their 20s” award in 2014. His commitment to volunteerism was recognized by the State of Michigan in 2007.

His juggalo-inspired I.C.Pizza costume was selected by the Huffington Post as one of the best Halloween costumes of 2014.

Vegan In Michigan? There Are More Options Than Ever Before In Metro Detroit

Courtesy of Nosh Pit Ten years ago it was definitely a lot more difficult to be a vegan in Detroit...

Coming to Detroit: Rhye Breaks Down New Album “Blood” Ahead of El Club Tour Date

Mike Milosh / photo courtesy of Rhye It's been five years since critically-acclaimed band Rhye arrived on the scene with their debut album...

Are Detroit Chefs Talented Enough to Win A James Beard Award?

  Marvin Shaouni The semi-finalists for the James Beard Foundation Awards have been announced and there are some prominent Detroit area...

Meet the Godmother of Rock N’ Roll at New Detroit Public Theatre Play

  Photo via Detroit Public Theatre Sister Rosetta Tharpe is often referred to as the "godmother of rock n' roll"...

What’s It Like To Be A Detroit Photographer at the Winter Olympics?

Eric Seals/USA Today Sports Images Detroit Free Press photographer Eric Seals is shooting his third Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South...

Don’t See Yourself Represented On Screen? Arab American Film Fest Aims to Amplify Unheard Stories & Voices

  Photo via Arab American National Museum The 13th annual Arab Film Festival returns to Metro Detroit on May 31st....

Detroit Musician Takes Fight Against Opioid Crisis to Local Music Venues

  Scott Boyink has dealt with addiction and death from drug use first-hand, so the idea of putting Narcan kits...

Detroit Comedian Highlights LGBTQ Comics With New Comedy Showcase

What happens when you don't see the diversity you'd like to see at an open mic? Start your own comedy showcase...

Tracing Michigan’s Meteoric Past

National Park Service A meteor hit Michigan a few weeks ago. It seems like the whole state took notice as social...

Why Do Snowy Owls Give A Hoot About Detroit?

Audubon Society Over the past few weeks there's been pictures circulating of snowy owls sitting on the hood of cars...

In The Groove With Comedian Ilana Glazer

Official Press Photo As the creator of Comedy Central's "Broad City," Ilana Glazer has arrived as a definitive voice in...

Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit Tackles Diversity Issues Behind The Scenes With 2017 Knight Arts Challenge Grant

29 artists and non-profit organizations are now $1.8-million richer after the Knight Arts Challenge announced its winners. Winners include poet Jessica Care Moore, the Arab...