Detroit musician and composer Marcus Elliot talks turning grief into a work of art
Last year, saxophonist and composer Marcus Elliot premiered a new composition “Fill The Room With Light.” A collection of musicians...
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.
Pepper Spray Project provides free resources to keep Detroiters safe
Did you know that if you walk into The Painted Lady lounge in Hamtramck or PizzaPlex in southwest Detroit and...
Is Michigan prepared to be a climate refuge?
In a not-so-distant future, it’s possible that places like Houston, Texas could have summers that feel more like Pakistan. It’s...
Investigating Christmas carol crimes
We’ve all heard the advice to be extra vigilant around the holidays for scams and criminals. But what if the...
Ruth Ellis Center welcomes a new executive director
A decade ago, Mark Erwin walked through the door of the Ruth Ellis Center. It was just for a tour...
Detroit duo releases vulnerable new album, ‘Conjure’
On Saturday, Dec. 10, a duo of great local musicians will celebrate their new album with a release party at...
Climate change continues to be vacant in our movies and TV shows
One of the main things on young people's minds these days is climate change. They worry about the future and...
Iconic Detroit mural artist cements his legacy with retrospective exhibit
At 87 years old, David Rubello is still growing and learning as an artist. He's a giant in Detroit's art...
Detroit Public Theatre’s latest show highlights the power of performance
In the Cass Corridor, Detroit Public Theater has opened its new headquarters. It’s bringing top-rated theater to the city, and...
Detroit Opera sets the stage for a modern-day ‘Faust’
The Detroit Opera will be showing an updated rendition of 'Faust' with performances on Friday and Sunday this week. Yuval...
Jemele Hill shares her journalistic journey in new memoir, ‘Uphill’
She started out as a high school journalist in a program right here in Detroit, and has gone on to...
Detroit Denim brings sustainable clothing to Midtown
Like many small businesses, Detroit Denim had to make a massive pivot at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. After...