Remember April and early May, when we thought it was a matter of just toughing out another week or two of quarantine, then things would go back to normal?

That’s the moment we wanted to document in this podcast episode from MinneCulture. I produced the audio diary from Ed Bok Lee, which delves into the creation that comes from chaos…while fielding knock-knock jokes from his 4 year-old. Also, an effervescent interview with hiphop artist NUR-D about producing his new EP “Trapped in my Room.” If you’ve heard him perform, you know how lovely his personality is. If you haven’t, you may love him by the end.

So here's the story behind this one...we were just about to launch it when George Floyd was killed, so we set this one aside and charged into producing an artist response to his death. Subscribe to the MinneCulture podcast or scroll down my feed to hear that one, too.

And please help us share. The artists all live in Minnesota, but the stories are wide-ranging and relatable to all.

We’re still social distancing and we’re still making stuff. Some artists have changed what they make. Others have changed how they make it. KFAI’s Barb Abney hosts from home and shares an uplifting interview with Twin Cities hip-hop artist Nur-D, who just dropped an EP recorded entirely from his bedroom. We also hear a tender, slightly gloomy audio diary from Minneapolis poet Ed Bok Lee, who discusses skeletons and shares knock-knock jokes with his young daughter. It’s adorable and, you guessed it, poetic. Support for MinneCulture comes from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Emily K. Bright