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.