Seth Johnson

Whether it’s transforming a barbed-wire fence into a web of lace or flooding the sidewalks with soundscapes, Ed Woodham’s Art in Odd Places (AiOP) project has freaked out Manhattan for nearly a decade now—and it hits Indy this month.

It has been a rough few years for the guy who once called himself (albeit ironically) “Mr. Happy Go Lucky.” But as usual, Mellencamp has turned that sorrow into great music.

Before the final notes had been played, the 2013 festival dedicated to restoring and promoting White River seemed destined for an encore.

The longtime rapper and vocalist chats with us ahead of his gig at the Fountain Square Music Festival on July 4.