Dr. Jeremy C. McCool is a media professor, consultant, speaker, and author from Chicago. He has delivered lectures at universities and organizations across the country on topics including media influence, professional development, hip-hop, and interpersonal communication. His forthcoming book, Raps of Resistance: How Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole Reignited a Hip-Hop Tradition (Bloomsbury Publishing), will be released on May 14, 2026, and is currently available for presale.

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McCool is also the co-creator of McCool & McBride Books, a children’s book series that addresses social issues such as bullying and prejudice through stories featuring Black lead characters. Since joining West Chester University’s Department of Communication and Media in 2021, he has served as an associate professor, teaching courses such as Media Technology, Socially Conscious Hip-Hop, and Digital Storytelling.

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McCool began his media career at just 17, hosting a radio show on Western Illinois University’s station 88.3 The Dog. Within a year, he was promoted to music director, helping elevate the station’s programming. In 2015, he earned a national Intercollegiate Broadcast System (IBS) award for audio production, later interning at 99.1 WSMK in Michigan. He also co-hosted the morning show Koop & McCool on K100 WKAI. In 2016, he was recognized as one of 59 national recipients of the President’s Innovation Award from the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for his excellence in music industry studies.

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He earned his bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism (with a music business minor) and his master’s degree in communication from Western Illinois University. He later taught at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he designed and taught courses including Radio Production, Media and Culture, and an original course in Digital Storytelling. McCool went on to complete his Ph.D. in Communications Media and Instructional Technology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, focusing his research on socially conscious hip-hop, racial bias, and media effects.

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His contributions have earned national recognition. In 2021, Pittsburgh Magazine named him a “40 Under 40” honoree. In 2022, West Liberty University selected him as its Hughes Lecturer, a distinction awarded annually to one impactful author or scholar. Drawing on a unique blend of academic expertise and media industry experience, McCool continues to bridge scholarship, culture, and professional practice.