Ryan Patrick Hooper is the award-winning host of "In the Groove" 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.

This Meal Was Made in a Michigan Prison

Mark Kurlyandchik / Detroit Free Press It was an eight course meal that Detroit Free Press restaurant critic Mark Kurlyandchik says...

New Music Venue Spot Lite Will Be Part Gallery & Bar Near Detroit’s Heidelberg Project

Jesse Cory / 1xRun Click on the audio player above for the full conversation. With the help of a $40,000...

Live @ WDET: Sara Marie Barron Debuts a Trio of Tracks from Upcoming Debut Album

Photo via Annie Scaramuzzino / WDET Click on the audio player above for the full conversation.  Ahead of her single release...

Bonny Doon Find Themselves on New Record “Longwave” Ahead of Third Man Records Gig

Photo Courtesy of Bonny Doon On Saturday, April 14th, Detroit band Bonny Doon will be performing at Third Man Records...

Is Sam Austins Detroit’s Next Big Thing?

Courtesy of Assemble Sound It's hard not to fall in love with to Detroit's own Sam Austins.  Last year, the 21-year old released...

Hazel Park Raceway Closes Its Doors With Little Notice

Eli Newman/ WDET After 70 years, the Hazel Park Raceway is set to close. In an unexpected turn of events,...

2018 WDET Munch Madness: Pie Sci Wins in a Landslide

Photo via Pie Sci Listen above to the audio of Pie-Sci owner Jeremy Damaske being surprised live on CultureShift with...

2018 WDET Munch Madness: Pie Sci vs. Green Lantern in the Chompionship

In 2017, Detroit was named the #1 city in America for pizza lovers -- but who has the best pizza in metro Detroit?...

Local Hero at Concert Buys Drinks for Band

Photo via Ryan Patrick Hooper Click on the audio player above for the full conversation.  This past Saturday, a music fan...

2018 WDET Munch Madness: Who Will Be Crowned the Pizza Champion?

In 2017, Detroit was named the #1 city in America for pizza lovers -- but who has the best pizza in metro Detroit?...

2018 WDET Munch Madness: Road to the Final Fork

UPDATE: Munch Madness has advanced to the Final Fork -- vote now! In 2017, Detroit was named the #1 city in...

2018 WDET Munch Madness: Will Your Favorite Detroit Pizza Advance to the Elite Ate?

UPDATE: Voting is now open for the WDET Munch Madness Final Fork — vote now! In 2017, Detroit was named the #1 city...