By Taylor Linzinmeir, Contributor
[Photo by Emily Doll]

Kwase Lane grew up in Southfield, Michigan as a self-described nerdier version of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He moved from a public school to a “really bougie” private middle school and spent a lot of time at his grandmother’s home in the Detroit area listening to the songs that he heard in video games. 

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Luckily, his music taste has evolved since then. The first song that Kwase bought on his iPod was “American Boy” by Estelle featuring Kanye West. 

“That’s kind of where I still am now,” Kwase said. These days you can find him listening to artists like Frank Ocean and Tyler, the Creator—with a little bit of Japenese math rock thrown in there, too, to spice things up.

Kwase joined ACRN during his sophomore year at Ohio University when a friend of his took him to the involvement fair. At the time, he was an aviation major who was slowly losing interest in the program that brought him to the university.  

“People are just really into planes, and I don’t like them that much,” Kwase said. Through his involvement with ACRN, Kwase discovered he truly enjoyed writing and learning about different forms of media. 

So, at the end of his sophomore year, he decided to make the switch and apply for the journalism program. “It makes more sense. This is the first time where I’ve done work and it doesn’t feel like work,” Kwase said. 

Now a junior, Kwase is ACRN’s treasurer, a staff writer for the editorial department, a member of the promotions department and, most importantly, a DJ. 

Kwase’s specialty show, “Cool Kids Club,” fuses his own taste in music with that of some of his best friends, constantly creating a unique concoction of songs for his playlists each week. 

“I think it’s interesting to be exposed to weird, opposed music tastes and also to get other people in [the station]. It’s always nice and varied,” Kwase said. 

His DJ name, TB Cooper, comes from the strange amalgam of little details he put into an online DJ name generator. “TB” comes from his favorite character from the show Community, Troy Barnes, who is also played by another one of his favorite rappers, Childish Gambino. 

“Cooper” comes from his favorite criminal, DB Cooper, a man who was described as being quiet and nondescript but also hijacked a plane in the ’70s, took the passenger’s money and then parachuted away, never to be seen again. 

If you like R&B and rap in general, then you will always have something to listen to when it comes to TB Cooper and his specialty show, Cool Kids Club. On the other hand, If you want to branch out a little, he has something you’re probably not used to hearing as well.

“Even if you don’t like my music, there is another person’s being played around mine. So even if you hate me, you might like one of my friends,” Kwase said. 

Click here to listen live to Cool Kids Club, hosted by TB Cooper every Thursday at 10 p.m.