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.

Exploring the Latin Cuisine of Southwest Detroit with a Longtime Local

Courtesy of Juan Carlos Dueweke-Perez Click the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. CultureShift airs weekdays from...

The Music of Matthew Sweet Comes to the Detroit Public Theatre

Chuk Nowak Photography / Detroit Public Theatre Click the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. CultureShift airs...

Do Politically Charged Times Make For Better Art? Artist Ann Lewis Says Yes

Courtesy of Ann Lewis Click the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. CultureShift airs weekdays from 12...

One Woman’s Crusade to Bring Shower Facilities to Detroit’s Homeless Population

Courtesy of Eugenia Bajorek Click the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. CultureShift airs weekdays from 12...

What Will Eastern Market Look Like in Five Years?

Courtesy of Melody Baetens Click the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. CultureShift airs weekdays from 12...

“You Risk Your Life”: Freddy Diaz on His Street Art Journey Through Southwest Detroit

Ryan Patrick Hooper Click the audio player above to listen to the full conversation. CultureShift airs weekdays from 12 p.m....

“You Don’t See Many Black Women on the Wall”: Detroit Artist Sabrina Nelson Uses Public Art to Educate

COURTESY OF SABRINA NELSON Click the audio player to hear the full conversation. CultureShift airs weekdays from 12 p.m. to...

Detroit Photographer Bre’Ann White’s New Photo Exhibit is Stunning

Bre'Ann White Click the audio player above to listen. CultureShift airs weekdays 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on WDET 101.9FM Detroit public radio. Detroit photographer...

Meet the Detroit Songwriters That Just Won Their First Grammy

Piper Carter Click the audio player above to listen. CultureShift airs weekdays 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on WDET 101.9FM Detroit public radio. A sister-duo...

Frozen: Detroit Photographer Documents Ice Culture in Michigan for NatGeo

Amy Sacka Pictured above: An attendee of the annual Perchville festival in Tawas, Michigan. Perchville, which is in its 69th year,...

Drink More Water: Senghor Reid’s “Distilled” Opens at M Contemporary

Courtesy of Senghor Reid Click the audio player above to hear the full conversation. CultureShift airs weekdays 12 p.m. to...

Bartenders are listening to everything you say at the bar

Courtesy of Detroit City Distillery Click the audio player above to hear the full conversation with bartender Garrett Passiak. If...