The Michigan Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) declared Wayne State University as a hostile campus for free speech Monday, August 25. 

The announcement comes in response to how the institution handled a series of protests against Israel’s attacks on Palestinians in Gaza. 

CAIR Michigan Executive Director Dawud Walid accused Wayne State of systemically silencing the free speech rights of students.  

“Students should be able to freely raise their voices without fear of not just simply being doxed, but administrative and even law enforcement measures taking place against them while they are attending a university that they paid tuition for and a place that’s supposed to be a haven for liberal arts education.” 

Wayne State said in a statement it’s committed to supporting free speech, as long as conduct on campus does not violate any laws or disrupt university operations. 

Additional headlines

Tomorrow is the first World Lake Day

The United Nations General Assembly has dedicated August 27 to persevering, celebrating and sustaining lakes around the world.

The State of Michigan’s Office of Great Lakes, part of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, invites Michiganders to be stewards of lakes in the region. 

Suggested activities include learning about preservation, conservation, and restoration activities.

Michigan is part of the Great Lakes, which holds 21 percent of the world’s fresh surface water, servicing 40 million people in the U.S. and Canada with drinking water. Find resources on EGLE’s website or Facebook page to learn more.

Secretary of State’s “It’s Sooo Simple” campaign

The Secretary of State’s office announced the “It’s Sooo Simple” campaign to highlight ways to access mobile services.

Many of the department’s services can be accessed online, by mail or through self-service stations. Some of the stations are located in Michigan Secretary of State offices, Krogers and Meijers stores with nine language options. People can find an office by going to michigan.gov/sos online or calling 888-767-6424. 

Find a self service station by you.

City government Shadow Program applications close tomorrow

Applications close tomorrow August 27 for the City of Detroit’s Department of Neighborhoods Youth Affairs Team. The program is for Detroit residents 18-25 years old to explore the city government agencies.

Applicants must attend an orientation and be available for meetings, along with demonstrating a passion to become more civically engaged in Detroit. Participants will be paired with a city government employee to shadow their work.

Cisco Community Innovation Challenge

Cisco is hosting a 2025 Community Innovation Challenge to help promote social impact. Students can apply to design programs that uplift communities.

Students will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges for the chance to earn a $10,000 prize. Participants will be invited to attend a virtual Program Launch call in September if they win. 

If there is something happening in your neighborhood that you think we should know about, drop us a line at DetroitEveningReport@wdet.org.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Earlier this year, a University of Michigan student from China voted in November’s presidential election. He was part of a group of likely 16 noncitizens in Michigan who voted in that election.

That number accounts for a tiny fraction of the vote, less than .0003 percent. And those votes didn’t impact the 2024 November election results. 

But a number of people were upset by noncitizens voting. Last month, Republicans gathered to launch a ballot initiative to strengthen existing laws that ensure non-American citizens can’t vote in Michigan elections. To do that, their initiative would require voters to show photo identification to cast a ballot.

Many liberals, including Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, are against this measure. The voting official says, if passed, the initiative could suppress the vote. 

So what’s in this new measure? And, what case is Americans for Citizen Voting making to Michiganders to gather the hundreds of thousands of signatures needed to get on the 2026 ballot?

Producer Sam Corey spoke with Paul Jacob, Michigan chair of Americans for Citizen Voting.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

Detroit is a manufacturing city and with this comes hazardous waste – toxic, reactive, flammable, and corrosive material that’s dangerous to people. 

So what happens to all this hazardous waste? Federal and State Laws require facilities to obtain a license to store, dispose or treat it. 

That includes EQ Detroit Inc., which operates a hazardous waste site in Midtown near the I-94 and I-75 interchange. The company’s license is up for renewal, and not all residents are in support. 

But public sentiment is not the law, said Tracy Kecskemeti at the public informational meeting on Aug. 13. She’s the acting materials management division director for the Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy. EGLE is the state regulator that oversees these hazardous waste sites. 

Producer Jack Filbrandt spoke to Detroit Documenters Colleen Cirrocco and Lynelle Herndon to learn more about what community members had to say. The next meeting on this issue is Sept. 4 at Tech Town. 

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

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

More stories from The Metro

The Michigan Department of Transportation recently announced postponing a planned I-375 reconstruction project citing increasing increased costs and community feedback.

The plan would have converted the freeway interchange to ground-level boulevard. The project was to be funded in part by $100 million in federal dollars from the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act. The rest of the cost, estimated to be at least $300 million, would have come from the State of Michigan.

When the project was announced in 2022, then-Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttegig characterized the federal project dubbed “Reconnecting Communities” as a reparative one, aimed at fixing injustices created from federal highway construction of the mid-20th century.

The announcement that I-375 would be redesigned raised interest and even optimism. Was this an opportunity to address the wrongs of the past? Was this truly going to help resolve the razing of Detroit’s Black Bottom and Paradise Valley neighborhoods in the name of paved roads?

There were community input meetings, and the plans presented gained both support and criticism. MDOT hosted a presentation on the history Black Bottom and Paradise Valley neighborhoods at the Charles H. Wright Museum.

Despite being a controversial project, one of the points that was largely agreed upon was that if the I-375 reconstruction was going to be reparative, there should at least be some recognition of the thriving neighborhoods that Detroiters once called home.

Marcia Black and Lex Draper Garcia Bey from Black Bottom Archives joined Tia Graham on The Metro to share their reaction to the I-375 redesign being paused, and the exhibition on display at the Detroit Historical Museum, “10 Years Back, 10 Years Forward,” on display until September 14, 2025.

Guests: 

• Marcia Black is the director of archives and education at Black Bottom Archives
• Lex Draper Garcia Bey is the director of community engagement and programs at Black Bottom Archives

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

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

More stories from The Metro

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services launches Medicare support program

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has launched a program to assist residents with Medicare. MI Options is a statewide system that offers free counseling for people who need long-term care.

MDHHS director Elizabeth Hertel says in a press release that the resource hub will provide information about Medicare enrollment and prescription costs, while empowering people to make choices for their health and wellbeing, including aging in place.

People can call 800-803-7174 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with an agent. More information is available at Michigan.gov/MDHHSMIOptions.

Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley

Additional headlines

MDOT warns of road closures without budget agreement

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is urging state leaders to pass a budget soon to prevent road closures.

Officials warn the I-96 and Southfield Freeway interchange in Detroit is in poor condition and at risk of becoming too dangerous to use. MDOT spokesperson Diane Cross says that without a funding plan, closures can be expected within the decade.

“Which sounds like a long time, but it is not really. When it comes to road projects, you have to design them, you have to do safety studies, you have to do traffic counts, you have to do updated environmental things. There is a lot you have to do when you plan and design and do any major rebuilding,” Cross said.

She adds that the department has already completed as much maintenance and made as many repairs as possible, and the only next step is a full rebuild. Many other bridges across the state are facing the same risk if funding is not approved soon.

Reporting by Bre’Anna Tinsley

Students return to school as budget uncertainty looms

Students across Metro Detroit are returning to class for the first day of school. That comes as school officials remain uncertain about how much money they will actually have to spend this year.

The Michigan House and Senate are still divided over how much funding to allocate for schools in the state budget.

Michigan’s overall education system is under scrutiny amid high absenteeism in many classrooms and low student performance in state and national testing.

Some educators also remain concerned about the Trump administration’s possible cuts in federal school funding. And some students say they worry that immigration enforcement could cause classmates to be forced to leave school.

Reporting by Quinn Klinefelter

Detroit Senior Task Force hosts free movie day

Detroit’s Senior Task Force is hosting a movie day for seniors this week. The free event will be held on Wednesday at the Bel Air Luxury Cinema starting at 10 a.m.

The first 500 people ages 55 and older will receive free entrance, popcorn, and a drink.

Film Detroit to host outreach and resource fair

The City of Detroit is hosting a Film Detroit Outreach and Resource Fair. The networking event will include food and conversations with Detroit’s film community.

Attendees can learn about film permits and local resources to access Detroit’s cable channels. The event will take place on September 10 at the community center at AB Ford Park, located at 100 Lenox in Detroit, from 4 to 7 p.m.

Roughly one-third of food grown on U.S. farms never gets eaten. For many Detroiters, food insecurity is a daily concern. Federal cuts to SNAP benefits are coming, and they are expected to hit low-income households in Detroit especially hard. That’s on top of the already-limited access to fresh produce, meat and dairy.

But Detroit’s farming story runs deep. Black farmers have long helped the city feed itself, before and after settlers colonized the area. The historic Black Bottom neighborhood — which was razed to make way for freeways — was named for its rich soil. Now, Detroit is one step closer to adding city-wide composting to its urban agriculture story.

Last week, the city launched a pilot composting program with openings for the 200 people to sign up. Demand was so high that people who wish to sign up are now joining hundreds of others on a wait list. That enthusiasm is good news for proponents of urban agriculture in Detroit.

The City of Detroit’s Director of Sustainability, Tepfirah Rushdan, and the city’s Deputy Director of Urban Agriculture, Patrice Brown, joined The Metro to discuss the enthusiasm for the program, and the future of urban agriculture and sustainability in Detroit.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

Starting out as a recreational soccer league at Belle Isle in 2010, Detroit City Football Club has grown its footprint in Detroit and metro Detroit, quickly amassing a loyal and passionate fanbase. 

Now, over a decade later, a new stadium is helping usher in a new era for DCFC. AlumniFi Field is set to open for the 2027 USL Championship season. 

Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of this year in the Corktown and Southwest Detroit neighborhoods, pending Detroit City Council’s approval.

Detroit City Football Club Stadium Neighborhood Advisory Council will begin to accept nominations for the council. Any Detroit residents who live within the impact area and are over 18 are eligible to serve.

CEO and Co-founder of DCFC Sean Mann joined Tia Graham on The Metro to talk more about the stadium and the community that AlumniFi will call home. 

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

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

More stories from The Metro

This Detroit Jazz Festival weekend, Rob Reinhart brings something special to Essential Music. On Friday, August 30, Rob will re-air his interview and live performance with trumpeter Keyon Harrold, recorded earlier this year on his nationally syndicated show Acoustic Café.

Keyon Harrold, performing at this year’s Detroit Jazz Festival, joined Rob back in May to talk about his latest album, “Foreverland”. During that session, Harrold performed selections from the record and shared insights into his creative process, life on the road, and the stories behind the music.

You can hear the full interview and performance on Essential Music during the festival weekend. But if you’d like a preview, check it out now on Acoustic Café.

Don’t miss this chance to hear one of today’s most powerful trumpeters as Detroit comes alive with the sounds of jazz.

In this week’s episode of Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music, some cool music from and around the 50th anniversary of Springsteen’s “Born To Run” album. It turns 50 on Monday, August 25.

Also, Chance the Rapper with Jazmine Sullivan, The City Lines with new Motor City Music, Jack White punches back hard and more!

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

Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music Playlist for August 23, 2025

HOUR ONE:

• “Finest Worksong” – R.E.M.
  
• “Daria” – Toro y Moi
  
• “Everybody Scream” – Florence & The Machine
• “‘Running Boy” – Mon Rovia (at The Ark 11/19)
• “That’s How I Feel'” – Jack White
• “Born To Run” – Bruce Springsteen
  
• “Thunder Road” – Matt Nathanson
  
• “So Young And In Love” – Bruce Springsteen
• “Moody” – Royel Otis
• “Sushi & Coca Cola” – St. Paul & The Broken Bones
• “Found A Friend” – Southern Avenue (at The Leon Loft, Ann Arbor)
• “Gethsemane” – Ian Gillan (turned 80 this week)
  

• “Lisztomania” – Phoenix
  
• “Old Me, New Wig” – Molly Tuttle (9/11 at Masonic)
• “Speed Of Love” – Chance The Rapper w/Jazmine Sullivan
• “People” – Patrick Adams
• “Do It All” – The City Lines
• “Janey Needs A Shooter” – Bruce Springsteen
• “Jeannie Needs A Shooter” – Warren Zevon
  
• “You Were Wrong” – Roomful Of Blues
• “Walking The Dog” – Rufus Thomas
• “Watch Me Go” – Lord Huron
• “She’s The One” – Bruce Springsteen

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org

On this week’s episode of Acoustic Café, our guest is the band Southern Avenue, the family band from Memphis. In July, they absolutely brought the house down at The Leon Loft, playing songs from their new album “Family.”

Also, the late Flaco Jimenez, cool new covers from Maia Sharp (U2) and kissing other ppl (Lennon Stella), Warren Zevon and Lianne La Havas from our in-studio archives and more!

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

Acoustic Café Playlist for August 24, 2025

• “Million Dollar Intro” – Ani DiFranco
• “And So It Goes” – Billy Joel
• “No Champagne (6 AM)” – Cautious Clay
• “How About A Drink” – Billy Raffoul
• “What’s It All For” – Noah Cyrus
• “Paperthin” – Lianne La Havas (in-studio performance)
• “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” – Maia Sharp
• “Upside” – Southern Avenue (in-studio guests)
• “Found A Friend” – Southern Avenue (in-studio guests)
• “Forever Never Lasts” – Rachael & Vilray
• “I Don’t Want Your Garden” – Hazlett
• “Carmelita” – Flaco Jimenez & Dwight Yoakam
• “Lawyers, Guns & Money” – Warren Zevon (in-studio performance)
• “God Sent You” – Bruce Springsteen
• “Avalanche” – Jade Bird
• “The Way I Tell The Story” – David Wilcox
• “Dinner” – Indigo De Souza
• “Driver Education” – Indigo Girls (in-studio performance)
• “Kissing Other People” – kissing other ppl
• “Self Made Man” – Rachel Baiman
• “What If” – TORS
• “Treason” – Nilufer Yanya
• “Sisters” – Southern Avenue (in-studio guests)
• “Long Is The Road” – Southern Avenue (in-studio guests)
• “So Much Love” – Southern Avenue (in-studio guests)

Listen to Rob Reinhart’s Essential Music every Saturday from 2-4 p.m. ET on Detroit Public Radio 101.9 WDET and streaming on-demand at wdet.org.

Activation: Food

Chef Booze brings Arkansas roots to Detroit’s food scene

Jermond Booze, professionally known as Chef Booze or simply Booze, was born and raised in Arkansas and has turned Detroit into home. His southern roots are foundational to who he is and to the way he views food as a conduit for larger conversations.

Through hosting music themed dinners, mentoring kids, and winning “Chopped,” Booze has become instrumental in Detroit’s food scene.

As COVID-19 cases rise in Michigan this summer, it’s still unclear when residents will be able to get the updated vaccine at local pharmacies, clinics and doctors’ offices.

Differing recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and other federal health officials have created confusion over who should get the vaccine. Michigan health leaders have also diverged from federal guidance, which could mean some people may need to pay out of pocket or face co-pays this year.

CDC COVID-19 data tracker
Detroit Free Press coverage

West Nile virus claims first life in Michigan

The Kent County Health Department has confirmed the first West Nile virus–related death of the year, involving a West Michigan man. Five other cases have also been reported in the state.

Most people infected with the virus never develop symptoms, though about 20% may experience mild, flu-like illness. Serious complications are rare, but Michigan resident Jerry Feldman says his infection in late November was “life altering.”

Health officials recommend protecting yourself by wearing long sleeves and pants at dusk and dawn and using insect repellents containing DEET.

Detroit launches first responder alert system

The City of Detroit is rolling out a new notification system to warn drivers when emergency vehicles are approaching. The Haas Alert Safety Cloud connects with navigation apps to alert motorists when an ambulance, fire truck, or police cruiser is nearby.

Detroit Fire Commissioner Chuck Simms says all city emergency vehicles will be equipped after a successful year-long pilot program. City leaders hope the technology, developed with NewLab in Detroit, will reduce the thousands of crashes each year involving police and fire vehicles.

Sports roundup

• MLB: The Detroit Tigers take on the Kansas City Royals this weekend at Comerica Park. The Tigers lead the American League Central, while the Royals sit 10 games back. Tonight’s first pitch is at 7:10 p.m.

• NFL: The Detroit Lions wrap up their preseason tomorrow at Ford Field, with kickoff at 1:00 p.m.

• MLS: Detroit City FC faces the Tampa Bay Rowdies tomorrow at Keyworth Stadium. Game time is 7:00 p.m.

Southwest Fest returns to Detroit

Detroit’s South West Fest is back for its fifth annual celebration on Saturday, August 23, from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Senate Theater. The event features food, music, and family-friendly activities, with organizers calling it a beacon that highlights the tapestry of Detroit’s culture.

More details at Senate Theater

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode

• Reasons behind the change with from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
• Supporters and Opponents share their thoughts on the change. 

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

The Whitmer administration is moving forward with changes to Michigan’s behavioral health system. As part of the weekly series MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow discuss how the proposal is being received by supporters and opponents, including Daniel Cherrin and Robert Sheehan.

Daniel Cherrin leads the MI Care Council, the Michigan Association of Substance Addiction Providers, and the MI Behavioral Health and Wellness Collaborative. He supports the changes, arguing they will make the system more accountable and efficient.

“Right now there are too many layers of behavioral services in the state of Michigan and too many conflicts of interest,” he says. “We support the state’s efforts because now they are asking Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans if they want to be a service provider or a funder. We want them to make a choice.”

Cherrin says the changes would also remove unnecessary gatekeepers in the system.

Robert Sheehan, executive director of the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan, takes the opposite view.

He believes the fundamental structure should not be dismantled in the name of reform. “There is a lack of uniformity with Medicaid benefits. Uniformity has a cost,” he says.

“If a town is told to do it a certain way but they have an innovative practice, they won’t be able to pursue it.” Sheehan argues the state needs a balance of uniformity and innovation.

Roth and Gorchow also spoke with Elizabeth Hertel, director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, who explained the reasoning behind the changes.

The goal is to have the new system in place by October 1, 2026.

More from WDET:

• Detroit Evening Report: Michigan families, caregivers prepare for possible Medicaid cuts
• MichMash: Michigan Health and Hospital Association CEO says protecting Medicaid protects Michigan
• Slotkin talks Medicaid cuts in GOP’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ voting against California EV mandate

Apple lovers will have plenty to pick this fall. 

The Michigan Apple Committee estimates growers will harvest about 30 million bushels of fruit in 2025. That’s about 1.2 billion pounds. 

Good weather helps

The committee’s executive director, Diane Smith, says the weather has been perfect for growing apples.

“We’ve had a little hail here and there, but generally that stays localized and doesn’t affect the overall crop,” she says. 

Michigan has more than 850 family-owned apple farms and over 17 million trees covering 38,000 acres. 

Smith says new farming methods have yielded several bumper crops.

“We’ve gone to more high-density planting,” she says. “So instead of having 250 trees to an acre, you can have up to 2,000 trees per acre.”

The future could look different

While the weather has been ideal, Smith says climate change could eventually affect the industry.

“As temperatures continue to rise, we’re seeing less rain at different times during the summer,” she says. “In 10 or 15 years, there could be a shift in some of the varieties that we grow.”

Michigan is one of the top three apple producing states, behind Washington. It competes with New York for second place. 

Smith says the industry also competes with other fruits, and that could take a bite out of sales.

“People aren’t eating as many apples as maybe they used to,” she says. “You go into the grocery store, and you can get different products year-round that maybe before you couldn’t get.”

Labor is another challenge

Smith says most Michigan apple farms rely on migrant workers to pick the fruit in the fall. She says that’s costly, but necessary.

“We just don’t have enough domestic workers that want to do the harvest,” she says. “Not many people just want a job for six weeks.”

Smith says she is not aware of any immigration raids at Michigan apple farms this summer. She also says tariffs have had little impact, though some producers face higher prices for imported chemicals to spray their crops. But she says most growers utilize organic methods.

“They don’t want to spray unless they absolutely have to,” she says.

In this episode of CuriosiD, we answer the question:

“What is the origin of ‘What up doe’?”

The short answer

‘What up doe?’ was a condensed greeting between drug dealers — dope boys — that operated in Detroit in the late-1970s and 80s. Doe = dough = cash.

The dark origins of ‘What up doe’

Professor and Poet Aurora Harris grew up in Detroit, bounced around the city including a couple semesters at Detroit Pershing High School, home of the Doughboys.

“We had the drug culture with the heroin, with Pony down gang, Young Boys Incorporated, the Errol Flynns,” Harris said. “And then in the 80s, we had the Chambers Brothers, you know, doing the heavy cocaine stuff.”

Detroit music producer Waajeed says that’s how he remembers it growing up in the 80s on the city’s east side.

“Unless you had a certain status, you couldn’t walk in the street. You had to walk on the sidewalk. Only the dope boys could walk in the street,” Waajeed said.

Each crew had their own identity.

“I remember those guys…they wore a specific type of hat. They wore, like Max Julian jackets, leather, really, really nice jackets with fur and around the collar and Stan Smith Adidas,” Waajeed said.

“Those were the guys that would say, ‘What up doe?’ in my neighborhood.”

In the 80’s “What up Doe” was a form of sonar – a call and response way of navigating the neighborhood.

“So you could check someone with ‘What up, doe’,” Waajeed said. “You could say ‘What up doe’ as a greeting, as a way of saying, ‘hello,’ ‘Aloha,’ whatever, but it was also a way of…making sure that a person is aware that you’re aware of them.”

For Harris, ‘What up doe’ meant talking to the dope boys — not to score drugs, but to find her niece who had a substance use disorder.

Harris wrote a poem to discuss her experience — a pain that was shared by many Detroiters over the past five decades.

“Good morning, my brother, yo, I’m not a cop, not Po Po. How you doing today? Can you talk for a minute? I’ll make it real quick, because you clock in sunlight, cars and corners. I’m looking for my kid, my sister, brother, auntie, uncle, Mama, daddy, nephew, my niece.”

A salutation. A greeting. A cry for help.

“None of y’all should be out here. I gotta find my baby,  / Yo if I see her, what you got for me? / You got that cross on the chain, wearing Jesus on your chest? I’ll, I’ll pray for you daily. That’s all I got left.”

But meanings can change over time.

“What up doe was born out of love and pain from the 70s to the 90s, to be born again as Detroit’s unique and coded greeting for strangers, families and friends.”

From the underground to Detroit catchphrase

For Detroit Comedian Tiffany Barber — T-Barb on stage — that greeting has always been a part of her life. 

“I was in the womb saying ‘What up doe,’ Barber said. “I was in my mama third trimester, and I was in there, and I said, ‘What up doe’. And she got gas when I said it”

Rap-group Afrocentric Wicked Old-school Lyricists AKA A.W.O.L. is said to have been the first Detroit act to put ‘What up doe’ in a single, but the recording has been tough to track down.

Others have been easier to find.

• The Big Dog’s ‘What Up Dow’

• Dice’s “Whut Up Doe”

• Danny Brown’s “What up Doe”

• And most famously Tone Tone’s “Whaddup Doe”

Then Eminem’s cinematic classic 8 Mile gave ‘What up doe’ a worldwide platform.

Waajeed says that’s alright.

“In the same way that Detroiters are wearing the Tigers’ hat and know absolutely nothing about baseball, it’s the same way that some people are saying ‘What up doe’ and just have no real cultural reference and understanding towards what it is and who it’s for,” Waajeed said.

“And either way is okay.”

Barber says she’s not about to gatekeep — in most circumstances.

“We’re cool with everybody. One thing about Detroit is we’re some of the coolest people that you’ll ever meet. We’re always the friendly ones. We’re always the inviting ones,” Barber said.

“So we invite you to say ‘What up doe’, but you can’t capitalize off of ‘What up doe’ if you not from Detroit.”

“Leave our ‘What up doe’ alone when it comes to the paper, that’s our money, but we welcome you to embody the culture,” Barber said.

There have been attempts to turn ‘What up doe’ – and its many visual iterations – into paper. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has denied at least two attempts to trademark the phrase.

Detroit music producer and philanthropist Filthy Rockwell has a Whatupdoe clothing and goods line.

Poet Aurora Harris says ‘What up doe’ belongs to everyone now.

“I feel like at this point the term is like Motown Records,” Harris said. “It was born in in Detroit, and it’s gone global. There’s nothing we could do about it. Be happy about it.”

Still, is all this just a little problematic given the phrase’s roots in drug culture?

“Detroiters are adaptable. We’re resilient, and we could take anything that’s a tragedy or anything that’s a trauma and turn it into something good.”

About the listener

Peter Bloye was born in Detroit and raised in Dearborn Heights.

For him, the origins of the question came when he was working for the City of Detroit a few years ago.

“I heard a lot of different things that people would say I was unfamiliar with. And  I would ask my crewmates, like, ‘hey, what does this mean exactly?’ And you know, we had a good relationship, and they would explain it. But this phrase, I got different answers. So I really like, ‘Okay, well, none of those really work for me.’ So I just was still curious.”

Bloye no longer works for the city. He’s a full-time caretaker for his mother in Allen Park.

Did he ever feel comfortable using the phrase?

“No, I did not, ”Bloye said. “It seemed like an exclusively Detroit thing,”

We want to hear from you! 

Have a question about southeast Michigan’s history or culture? Send it our way at wdet.org/curiosid, or fill out the form below. You ask, we answer.

Want more stories like this? Sign up for WDET’s weekly newsletter and never miss a curiosity uncovered.

I started re-reading James McBride’s brilliant book “Kill ‘Em and Leave: Searching for James Brown and the American Soul,” so I had to start the show with “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud (Pts. 1 & 2)” by the man himself. Plus, a spotlight on jazz guitarist Mansur Brown, putting Erykah Badu’s “Mama’s Gun” tour on your calendar (which lands at the Fox Theatre on November 20th) and new music discovery from Love Spells and Justin Bieber (yes, that guy).

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 August 21, 2025

• “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud (Pts. 1 & 2)” – James Brown
• “Him Belly No Go Sweat” – Antibalas
• “Dog It” – Digable Planets
• “Black Is… (feat. DSTL, Sareem Poems & Rich Medina) [Instrumental]” – Tall Black Guy, Ozay Moore & Malaya
• “Legs” – Darondo
• “Hard Times” – Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters
• “Woman Of The Ghetto (Reimagined)” – Melanie Charles & Marlena Shaw
• “Kiss Me On My Neck” – Erykah Badu
• “A.D. 2000” – Erykah Badu
• “Dark Clouds Rain Soul (Dub)” – Breakestra
• “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” – José Feliciano
• “Wish I Didn’t Love You” – Love Spells
• “Bittersweet” – Lewis Taylor
• “Sun” – Emma-Jean Thackray
• “In The Breaks” – Galliano
• “Crosseyed And Painless” – Talking Heads
• “YUKON” – Justin Bieber
• “Faded” – Mansur Brown
• “Snitches Brew (feat. Mansur Brown)” – Kamaal Williams
• “Côte D’ivoire” – Yoni Mayraz
• “Morning Light feat. Andreya Triana (Extended Version)” – Andreya Triana & Quantic
• “Water Me Down (Pamcy Remix)” – Vagabon
• “Crushxd” – Crumb
• “Continuum 5” – Nala Sinephro
• “Continuum 6” – Nala Sinephro
• “Be Reasonable” – somesurprises
• “A Figure In The Surf” – Mount Kimbie
• “Somber The Drums” – DIIV
• “Brakhage” – Stereolab
• “Dance Yrself Clean” – LCD Soundsystem
• “Cold Little Heart” – Michael Kiwanuka

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.

When COVID-19 shutdowns were enacted and social distancing became the norm, restaurants and public spaces emptied out. Streets across the country went quiet. But people, cities and businesses adapted. Many set up temporary outdoor seating. It provided a much-needed solution in a public health and economic crisis.

In Northville, as the pandemic crisis waned, outdoor dining remained. The city’s downtown was reminiscent of cafes and public plazas in other, more walkable, less car-dominated cities around the world. 

City residents and elected officials wanted to make the innovation permanent. 

In 2023, the Northville City Council voted to close the two main streets in downtown Northville, Center and Main, during summer months. Residents were drawn to the city center like never before. But not everyone was happy with the changes.

Community groups were formed, for and against. Let’s Open Northville has filed multiple lawsuits to end street dining and seasonal road closures in downtown Northville. Community Over Cars and Northville City Council are in favor of street dining and seasonal road closures.

On July 9, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Charlene Elder ordered Main street and Center streets opened back up, saying seasonal road closures violated the city’s charter. The City of Northville appealed Judge Elder’s ruling and on October 1, she’ll make a final ruling.

Kristi Wysocki and Peter Hoffman from Community Over Cars joined the Metro to discuss their group’s efforts to preserve seasonal road closures and outdoor dining in downtown Northville.

The Metro contacted the City of Northville and the group Let’s Open Northville. We haven’t heard back.

Guests:

• Kristi Wysocki lives in the city of Northville and is the founder of Community Over Cars. 
• Peter Hoffman lives in Northville Township and is on that group’s board, serving as their government relations liaison.

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

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

More stories from The Metro

Detroit expands access with surge in paratransit ridership

Paratransit ridership in Detroit has increased. That’s according to the Detroit Department of Transportation. Trip requests have nearly doubled since the launch of DDOT NOW, a same day paratransit service to help mobilize residents with a disability in the city.

The service is available from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and can be requested as quickly as an hour ahead. D-DOT is now exploring hybrid vehicles for the service, cashless payment options, and app-based trip booking alternatives.

Detroit emergency vehicles to get cloud technology

Detroit will equip some police and fire vehicles with cloud technology designed to improve public safety. The devices transmit signals over cellular networks to alert motorists when an emergency vehicle is nearby.

The goal is to remind drivers to move over when they approach a fire truck, police car, or ambulance.

Community benefits meeting on new soccer stadium

The Detroit Planning and Development Department is holding a community benefits ordinance meeting tonight. The Detroit City Football Club, also known as DCFC, has announced plans to build a new soccer stadium in Southwest Detroit on the site of an abandoned hospital.

The 11-acre development is expected to open in 2027. The community benefits ordinance process ensures residents have input into major development projects through a neighborhood advisory council.

Tonight’s meeting takes place at the Mexicantown CDC Mercado on 2826 Bagley. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6 p.m.

Michigan State Police step up Labor Day drunk driving enforcement

Michigan State Police are cracking down on drunk driving through Labor Day. Officials have created a task force to increase enforcement and messaging through the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

The effort is a collaboration between state police and local law enforcement agencies. Officials say between mid-August and Labor Day there is an increase in crashes involving drivers under the influence. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports one person is killed about every 45 minutes in a drunk driving accident.

Detroit PBS to premiere new documentary

Catch the new documentary Islam’s Greatest Stories of Love on Detroit PBS Saturday at 9 p.m. The film chronicles Ariella Gayotto Hohl’s journey grieving the death of her father.

An Islamic religion scholar, she travels the world interviewing members of the Muslim community about how their faith and culture help them navigate love and grief.

Gayotto Hohl spoke with One Detroit’s Chris Jordan about the film. Watch their conversation tonight at 7:30 p.m. on Detroit PBS.

Listen to the latest episode of the “Detroit Evening Report” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Nicole Melnyk is a comedian known for her energy and sharp wit. The Lansing native has performed at WDET’s What’s So Funny About Detroit event in the past, and now she’s headlining on August 28.

She joined Tia Graham to talk about what inspired her comedy, why she reps Lansing so hard, and her love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

You can buy tickets for next week’s Old Miami performance at this link.

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

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

More stories from The Metro