Burning Bright: Lights Illuminate Start of Ramadan for Michigan’s Muslims
The annual holy month of Ramadan begins this week and Muslims around the globe are finding creative ways to commune...
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.
The Surprising Histories Behind Your Favorite Board Games
In just one week last month, sales of board games and puzzles in the United States grew 228%. It’s a...
Black and Blue: Portraits of America’s Working Class by Detroit Artist Mario Moore
Mario Moore The Detroit art world is growing digitally with efforts to fundraise for local artists and exhibit their work...
Vote Now: WDET’s Final Four Michigan Music Madness Bracket
WDET It's been a long journey to go from 64 Michigan artists down to the top four, but here we...
Detroit’s First Ladies of Gospel Tell Their Story in Lifetime Biopic
The highest-selling female gospel group of all-time, Detroit’s own Clark Sisters helped modernize the genre. Now the story of sisters is...
Is Stevie Wonder the Greatest of All-Time? Vote in WDET’s Michigan Music Madness Bracket
WDET After receiving hundreds of nominations and narrowing down the field from 64 musicians, we've arrived at the elite 8...
Post Pandemic, Hollywood May Skip Theaters to Release At Home
Entertainment is one of many elements of society that’s transforming right before our eyes during the COVID-19 pandemic. But instead...
Michigan Restaurants Report $491 Million In Lost Sales During COVID-19 Closures
A mandatory shutdown of all dine-in service at local restaurants has created major financial shortfalls for the state’s restaurant industry...
Michigan Group Launches Musician Relief Fund, Giving Out $500 Grants
Courtesy of the Michigan Music Alliance In the past few weeks, members of the freelance gig economy have become even...
In Northern Michigan, a Small Cafe Weathers a Global Pandemic
Kevin Murphy For many small businesses in northern Michigan’s resort communities, it’s about waiting out the winter and cashing in...
Marvin Gaye vs. The Temptations: Vote Now in WDET’s Michigan Music Madness Bracket
WDET We didn't think we'd see a battle as heated as #1 seed Marvin Gaye going against #5 the Temptations....
Pandemic Art Can Help Find the Balance Between Patience and Panic
The U.S. is weeks into a global pandemic, as schools, stores and public spaces shut down to blunt the spread...