What’s up family? Chris Campbell here with The Progressive Underground, and it’s time for this week’s Pick of the Week. We’re shining the spotlight on Irene Renee — a vocalist, songwriter, and Detroit native whose journey through music is as rich as her voice.

She’s been singing since childhood, coming up in church choirs at Northwest and Glad Tidings COGIC in Detroit. She later took that love for music to Michigan State, where she danced, performed and eventually toured with MCM and the Hype Crew. After moving to New York, she hit the Apollo stage, sang at Café Wha?, and even plaudits and props from the New York music community.

Life took a few turns — motherhood, detours, comebacks — but the music never left her. Irene Renee re-emerged on NYC’s open mic scene, claimed wins in karaoke battles, and became a featured performer at the Sugar Shack and Zuppa Lounge. All of that led to the release of her independently produced debut album, “Serendipitous Experience.”

Her sound? Think Jill Scott meets Anita Baker with a twist of Cassandra Wilson — sultry, grounded, lyrical and real. We’ll dip into her musical vault and check out one of her signature singles. Here’s Irene Renee with “Smooth Step,” and its my Pick of the Week.

That was “Smooth Step” by Detroit native and soul songstress Irene Renee. If you’re feeling music like this, don’t miss The Progressive Underground — Saturday nights at 6 p.m. on 101.9 WDET. We serve up soul, nu-jazz, rare grooves, and b-side magic just for you. For the Progressive Underground, I’m Chris Campbell and until next time, stay soulful and stay tuned.

Starting off the show with brand new music from Madison McFerrin, who is getting ready to release her sophomore album “SCORPIO” in June. Plus a dose of J-Pop (Japanese pop) from Lamp and Mei Semones, and The Cure just announced a massive remix album with folks like Four Tet, Mogwai, Paul Oakenfold and others interpreting their songs from last year’s “Songs Of A Lost World” album.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for April 22, 2025

• “I Don’t” – Madison McFerrin
• “Bittersweet” – Lewis Taylor
• “Unwind (feat. Melanie Charles)” – Butcher Brown
• “Timeless (feat. Lianne La Havas)” – Oscar Jerome
• “Adagio” – Σtella
• “Despectiva caridad” – Los Piranas
• “Projections” – José Junior
• “Canned Funk” – Joe Farrell
• “Last Train At 25 O’clock” – Lamp
• “Body Rap” – Badly Drawn Boy
• “Once Around The Block” – Badly Drawn Boy
• “It’s All Around You” – Tortoise
• “Not Right Now”– LL Burns
• “Life Is A Movie (Water From Your Eyes Version)” – Vundabar & Water From Your Eyes
• “I Miss My Dog” – Mhaol
• “Alone (Four Tet Remix)” – The Cure
• “Dominique” – Ela Minus
• “Penthouse Samba” – Marina Zispin
• “Deadly Valentine (Soulwax Remix)” – Charlotte Gainsbourg
• “I Can Change” – LCD Soundsystem
• “Moanin’ and Groanin’” – Bill Withers
• “OUT OF MY HANDS (feat. Maeta)” – SiR
• “Am I Your Girl (Dance Version)” – Peach Pit
• “Speechless (feat. Magdalena Bay)” – TV Girl & George Clanton
• “Tenderly” – Luiz Bonfá
• “Zarigani” – Mei Semones
• “Slip Away (feat. Menahan Street Band)” – Charles Bradley
• “Consulate Case” – Surprise Chef
• “Lansana’s Priestess” – Donald Byrd
• “Mamasong” – Lawne
• “South of the River” – Tom Misch
• “Ruma Jhuma (Dub Colossus D&B Mix)” – Transglobal Underground
• “Ansumana” – Susso
• “Locked” – Four Tet
• “VIBRAÇĀO” – Alexander Flood

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Detroit’s musical legacy has left an undeniable mark on the industry. The city gave the world Motown and icons like Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin — artists who reshaped modern music. And we can’t forget Detroit’s role in the rise of techno, born from the basements of Belleville and stretched across the globe.

But no one flipped the game quite like producer and artist James Dewitt Yancey — best known as J Dilla.

Dilla wasn’t just a producer, he was a visionary whose beat-making style redefined hip-hop and R&B. With his MPC3000, he crafted soulful, off-kilter rhythms that broke the rules — and built new ones. 

His touch can be felt in the music of Common, The Roots, Erykah Badu, A Tribe Called Quest, and Detroit’s own Slum Village, the group he helped form. Tracks like “The Light” by Common and “Runnin’” by The Pharcyde showcase his genius. And even now, nearly two decades after his passing, artists and producers still study his sound.

J Dilla died from lupus in 2006 at just 32 years old. Still, his sound lives on. From Detroit to Tokyo, Dilla’s music continues to inspire. 

Feb. 7 — Yancey’s birthday — was recently designated “Dilla Day” by the city of Detroit. The city also renamed a street in his honor at the corner of Nevada and Charest. And this Thursday, Pershing High School — his alma mater — is hosting an event to celebrate his life and raise awareness about lupus.

Dilla is survived by his two daughters, Ja’Mya Yancey and Ty-Monae Whitlow.

Joylette Hunter, Ja’Mya’s mother and public relations developer for the James Dewitt Yancey Estate, and hip-hop educator Quan Neloms joined The Metro on Wednesday to discuss the event and reflect on Dilla’s legacy.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

More stories from The Metro on Wednesday, April 16:

• Labor professor says Trump tariffs’ impact on autoworkers ‘will be very painful’ to watch
• Former US Attorney Barb McQuade on Trump’s defiance of court orders
• Nonprofit aims to conserve bird habitats in metro Detroit

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Went hard on Mogwai today and their excellent new album “The Bad Fire” (plus some throwbacks from their catalog) ahead of their tour stop at St. Andrew’s Hall in Detroit.

Twenty years ago, I saw them at the same venue! I was underage, sneaking beers and a buddy got kicked out, but I managed to stay and finish the show. It was one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen and a completely cemented musical memory that I’ll never forget, so I’m really looking forward to that tonight.

Plus a fond farewell to reggae legend Max Romeo, new music from Vegyn (remixing Air), Jadu Heart, Black Country, New Road, The Bug Club, Lily Talmers and more.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for April 16, 2025

• “Boys in the Better Land” – Fontaines D.C.
• “How to Be a Confidante” – The Bug Club
• “Jealous Boy” – The Bug Club
• “Just Like Heaven” – The Cure
• “God Gets You Back” – Mogwai
• “Kelly Watch the Stars (Vegyn Version)” – Vegyn & Air
• “Roygbiv” – Boards of Canada
• “So Easy” – Röyksopp
• “The Divine Chord (feat. MGMT & Johnny Marr)” – The Avalanches
• “Got To Keep On” – Chemical Brothers
• “I Just Can’t Take The Risk” – Saint Saviour, Jadu Heart
• “Besties” – Black Country, New Road
• “Lucifer” – JAY-Z
• “Chase The Devil” – Max Romeo & The Upsetters
• “Sun Is Shining” – Bob Marley & the Wailers
• “False Start Dub” – Kings Of High Speed & JKriv
• “Hello? (feat. aden) [Maurice Fulton Remix]” – musclecars
• “Gone Till November (feat. New York Philharmonic)” – Wyclef Jean
• “Sonny Jr. (Dreams) [feat. Robert Glasper & Dwele]” – Black Milk
• “Feed The Fire” – Geri Allen, Lenny White & Palle Danielsson
• “Côte D’ivoire” – Yoni Mayraz
• “TNT” – Tortoise
• “The Big Idea” – Lily Talmers
• “Hog of the Forsaken (Chris Bathgate / Live On WDET Session)” – Michael Hurley
• “Common Blue” – Warpaint
• “Ritchie Sacramento” – Mogwai
• “A.M. 180” – Grandaddy
• “Hunted By a Freak” – Mogwai
• “ASR (feat. Jeff Parker)” – Meshell Ndegeocello
• “Eja (Dave Okumu Remix)” – Monzanto Sound
• “Under The Pressure” – The War On Drugs
• “They Came in Peace” – Tranquility Bass

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

What a loud, fun, gnarly night! Several members from a wide array of local punk bands stopped by the studio during my night shift to talk about the upcoming Spring Stunr Fest, happening this weekend at the Lager House!

This is the third annual Spring Stunr, and now that you’ve seen me write it stylistically twice, you’ll know it’s not a typo. But it’s going to be quite the “stunner” for sure when groups like 3 The Hard Way, Wild Shape and Lansing-based Rot Knot take the stage for this “DIY Femme-Punk Bonanza!”

I was joined, in full, by members of nearly every band on the line-up, including 3 The Hard Way, Meek, Sea Hag, Pillow Princess, and — driving all the way in from Lansing — Rot Knot; Wild Shape didn’t make it in-person but we did play one of their songs to close out the night.

On the show, organizer Jenny Lees described Spring Stunr as “an intersectional femme-punk fest showcasing Michigan femme-punks and anyone who supports them, and everyone is invited! It’s a really great event for anyone who is femme, or punk, or who loves them and who wants to support the scene.”

There will also be vendors, as well as all of these aforementioned bands, nestled into the Lager House, this Friday night, starting at 7 p.m. Find more info here. You can also follow Spring Stunr on Instagram.

Along with all of my special guests, I also looked ahead to the upcoming Corktown Music Festival, which will be hosted next weekend inside of several venues throughout the Corktown neighborhood, and particularly along  Michigan Avenue. This three-day festival showcases a wide spectrum of styles, with everything from punk to folk with a splash of country and a big helping of rock, indie, punk and beyond. Initially founded in 2022 with intent on filling what-was-then a bit of a void in the local music calendar, this ongoing fest has continually donated proceeds to a nonprofit, and this year ticket sales will benefit Passenger Recovery!

Other special tidbits on this week’s MI Local were premieres from local punk groups like Gerber & the Babies, the latest from longtime local rockers Mystery Math, and  new shoegaze and dream-pop from Ann Arbor’s Petalwave.

See the playlist below and listen to the episode on-demand for two weeks after it airs using the media player above.

MI Local Playlist for April 15, 2025

• “Attention” – Gerber & the Babies
• “Convenience Over Destiny” – Mystery Math
• “Vagabond” – Vampire Cowgirl
• “Secrets” – Kat Steih
• “Heat Dome” – Doogatron
• “Tightrope” – The Boreouts
• “Nothing to Say” – Fen Fen
• “Decomposer” – The High Strung
• “Wreck Lanes” – The Casper Fight Scene
• “If You Get Lost” – Petalwave
• “blight” – meek
• “Melted Numb” – Rot Knot
• “eventually” – 3 The Hard Way
• “Girlfriend” – Wild Shape

You never know where you’ll go on this show… and while there’s quite a bit of new selections here from DJ Koze, Rachel Baldwin, José James, Mei Semones, Joe Armon-Jones and more… there’s a whole lot of throwbacks, including music from Freddie Hubbard, Prince, Rufus & Chaka Khan, an insanely good rework of Hall & Oates from Kon and a bit of Luiz Bonfá and Billie Holiday on her birthday!

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for April 7, 2025

• “Aruna” – DJ Koze
• “I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do) [Kon Rework]” – Daryl Hall & John Oates
• “Long Night (Planet 81 Remix)” – Rachel Baldwin & Planet 81
• “17 Days (7″ B-Side Edit) [2017 Remaster]” – Prince & the Revolution
• “I Feel for You (Acoustic Demo)” – Prince & the Revolution
• “Simply Beautiful (feat. Takuya Kuroda)” – José James
• “Sweet Thing (feat. Chaka Khan)” – Rufus
• “Other Side of the Game” – Erykah Badu
• “Hurry up & Wait” – Joe Armon-Jones
• “Over When It’s Over” – Lucy Rose
• “Inside and Out” – Feist
• “Tenderly” – Luiz Bonfá
• “Zarigani” – Mei Semones
• “Slip Away (feat. Menahan Street Band)” – Charles Bradley
• “Consulate Case” – Surprise Chef
• “Bangoro (Gitkin Remix)” – Bab L’ Bluz
• “Since I’ve Been Loving You” – Led Zeppelin
• “How Blue Can You Get? (Live In Cook County Jail/1970)” – B.B. King
• “Dark Blue” – George Freeman & Chico Freeman
• “Can’t Say Nothin’” – Curtis Mayfield
• “Night Bus” – The Flying Hats
• “Marmalade Toast” – Marcel Borrack
• “Red Clay” – Freddie Hubbard, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Joe Henderson & Lenny White
• “Blue Moon” – Billie Holiday
• “Glory Box” – Portishead
• “Penthouse Samba” – Marina Zispin
• “Deadly Valentine (Soulwax Remix)” – Charlotte Gainsbourg
• “Love Is the Drug (Todd Terje Disco Dub)” – Roxy Music
• “Straight to Hell (Extended Unedited Version)” – The Clash

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

Diving back into the week with new music from Σtella, Los Piranas, Celine Dessberg, Okonski, José Junior and more, plus a belated birthday party for George Benson and look ahead to an upcoming concert from Leon Bridges.

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for March 31, 2025

• “Ribbon in the Sky (1982 Musiquarium Version)” – Stevie Wonder
• “Timeless (feat. Lianne La Havas)” – Oscar Jerome
• “Take Five” – George Benson
• “Adagio” – Σtella
• “Una Mañana” – Caramelo Haze
• “Despectiva caridad” – Los Piranas
• “Projections” – José Junior
• “Tomorrow Never Knows” – Beatles
• “Selenge” – Céline Dessberg
• “October” – Okonski
• “Burnin’ Coal” – Les McCann
• “N.I.T.A.” – Young Marble Giants
• “Heartbeat” – Wire
• “That’s Entertainment” – The Jam
• “Colores Del Mar” – Helado Negro
• “Motorway” – Goat Girl
• “In My Head” – Rosie Lowe
• “Deep Dark Cosmos” – Holly Walker
• “Charlie Loves Gracia” – Penza Penza
• “Lonsdale Slipons” – Bug Club
• “Violence” – Parquet Courts
• “Before the Water Gets Too High” – Parquet Courts
• “Half The Truth” – Sūn Byrd
• “Bad Bad News” – Leon Bridges
• “Morning (Peanut Butter Wolf Remix)” – Azymuth
• “Blue Ridge Mountains” – Fleet Foxes
• “Let Go” – NewDad
• “2020” – SUUNS
• “Saturator” – Kiln
• “The Equalizer” – Clinic
• “Speak To Me” – Julian Lage
• “Guns of Brixton (feat. Yan Jun) [L’été Chinois]” – Dub Mentor
• “The Killing Moon” – Nouvelle Vague
• “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” – Wilco
• “New York, Let’s Do Nothing” – King Hannah
• “Hollywood Forever Cemetery Sings” – Father John Misty
• “The Turning Ground” – Tara Clerkin Trio
• “Mixo World” – Time Wharp

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.

I love being able to bring Spiritualized and The Rolling Stones together, plus a bunch of fresh releases from SHY FX, Lady Wray, Hannah Cohen, Nightmares on Wax, Moses Sumney and many more. That’s the pleasure of public radio! Genre doesn’t matter — good music does!

Plus, a bunch of your voicemails celebrating Aretha Franklin, who would’ve been 83 this week. Why not just turn it into Aretha Week on In The Groove? With your voicemails?! I’ve still got space for a few more — feel free to drop me a line on the groove hotline at 313-577-3414, and I’ll play it on air!

Check the playlist below and listen to the episode for two weeks after it airs using the player above.

In The Groove with Ryan Patrick Hooper playlist for March 26, 2025

• “Risk It All (feat. Maverick Sabre) [Acoustic]” – SHY FX
• “High Tide or Low Tide (B is for Bob Mix)” – Bob Marley & The Wailers
• “Best For Us” – Lady Wray
• “Dusty” – Hannah Cohen
• “Typical (feat. Jordan Rakei) [Little Dragon’s Rick Ride Remix]” – Nightmares On Wax
• “You’re All I Need to Get By (Take 2)” – Aretha Franklin
• “Spirit In the Dark (Live February 7, 1971)” – Aretha Franklin
• “Spirit In the Dark (Reprise with Ray Charles) [Live February 7, 1971]” – Aretha Franklin
• “Miss Perfumado (4 Hero Remix)” – Cesária Evora
• “American Cars (Africanz on Marz West Coast Drive Rework)” – Sam
• “Hey Girl(s)” – Moses Sumney, Syd & Meshell Ndegeocello
• “The Other Lover” – Little Dragon & Moses Sumney
• “Retold” – Nate Smith
• “Liquid Sunshine” – John Cameron
• “I Say A Little Prayer” – Aretha Franklin
• “Inertia” – Samora Pinderhughes
• “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” – Rolling Stones
• “I Think I’m in Love” – Spirtualized
• “Jealous Boy” – The Bug Club (In The Groove Pick of the Week)
• “It’s Amazing To Be Young” – Fontaines D.C.
• “Sonny The Strong” – Gaz Coombes
• “West Side” – Studio
• “Untitled” – Interpol
• “Plainsong” – Seefeel
• “Boxing Feat. King Krule (DJ Python Remix)” – Mount Kimbie
• “Spacelab” – Kraftwerk
• “Clear (Jose “Animal” Diaz Remix)” – Cybotron
• “Sharivari” – Dirtbombs
• “L.O.V.E. and You and I (Madlib Remix)” – Jazzanova

Listen to In the Groove with host Ryan Patrick Hooper weekdays from noon-3 p.m. ET on 101.9 WDET or stream on-demand at wdet.org.