Mixtape Download: “Your Favorite Mixtape 2″, brandUn DeShay

Chicago rapper/producer brandUn DeShay gifts us with the sequel to Your Favorite Mixtape, Your Favorite Mixtape 2. Following the theme of the first tape, YFM2 features DeShay and other artists rapping over a few of DeShay’s favorite beats. Fans got to see the creative process behind this tape, as DeShay recently live streamed the making of YFM2 on Ustream. Guests artist include Calez, Alex Wiley, GLC, Rich Nice, HiClass and Aris P! Pardon me, I have a date with my headphones, this tape and Marie Josephine…

Download: “Your Favorite Mixtape 2″, brandUn DeShay

Mixtape Download: “Night At The Elysian”, Naledge & Tony Baines

What happens when you combine a theme centered around one of Chicago’s most prestigious hotels, dopest hip-hop artists, and dopest producers? You get Night At The Elysian, a Naledge/Tony Baines project. Never mind the fact that the Elysian Hotel was renamed the Waldorf Astoria in early February of this year. This tape is smooth as all hell, and features other Chicago emcees, like Vic Spencer, Mic Terror and Chicago rapper/producer Anton Genius. Elysian is only seven tracks long, but good music is often about quality, and not quantity, as anyone with two working ears should know.

Download: Night At The Elysian, Naledge & Tony Baines

AUDIO: “No Airplay”, Vic Spencer

Vic Spencer is back at it once again, with “No Airplay”, from his upcoming project, Walk Away Music. Wyclef and/or Canibus fan? You may recognize this song title. Not? Enjoy, anyway.

Download: “No Airplay”, Vic Spencer

VIDEO: “Concrete Connie”, Boldy James

Too. Tough.

Mixtape Download: “Smoke One For Spitta”, Curren$y

Aaand Curren$y has released yet another mixtape, much to my delight. Smoke One For Spitta is basically promotion for Curren$y’s newest album, Pilot Talk 3, as he has a few notable outlets behind him for this one. If you’re a true Curren$y fan, you’ll notice that this mixtape is more of a compilation of his “greatest hits”, but I still think it’s worth having in your music library.

Download: Smoke One For Spitta (Mixtape), Curren$y

VIDEO: “Blazin’”, Vic Mensa (Dir. by Austin Vesely)

Young Chicago rapper Vic Mensa, of the dope ass group, Kids These Days, gifts us with this Blended Babies and Chuck Inglish-produced joint. You may have heard this beat on Asher Roth’s latest project, Pabst and Jazz, on the single, “Bastermating”. Anyway, Mensa does this beat justice and lays out lyrics that further cement his place among Chicago’s young, ill rappers. Kudos to Mr. Vesely for the visuals, as well. Simple, yet complex seems to be the theme, and it definitely worked for me.

VIDEO: “Live Your Life”, Yuna

Yunalis Zarai, or “Yuna”, is a 25 year-old Malaysian singer-songwriter who I was introduced to just days ago. I’ve scoured the webs for her music and videos, and have come away very impressed. Yuna describes her music as a cross between Mary Poppins and Coldplay, which is certainly odd, to say the very least. “Life Your Life” is a well-written song, and I’d love to see Yuna perform it live. It’s always great when the visuals and artist are equally gorgeous, no?

VIDEO: “Her Theme Song”, TiRon & Ayomari ft. BJ The Chicago Kid (Dir. by David M. Helman)

This song was featured on West Coast rap duo TiRon and Ayomari’s album that dropped last year, A Sucker For Pumps. The visuals for this track are gorgeous and were directed by David M. Helman. BJ The Chicago Kid is on the hook.

VIDEO: “All Around The World”, Theophilus London

“All Around The World” will be on a remix of London’s debut album, Timez Are Weird These Nights, which will be released on April 24, 2012. The Bing-sponsored project features remixes of some of London’s best songs. A few DJs who freaked his tunes were Fred Falke, Skream, Crookers and more.

Mixtape Download: “Customized Greatly 3″, Casey Veggies

Casey Veggies, the Odd Future co-founder and former member, released the third part of his Customized Greatly series, Customized Greatly 3. You may have last heard the overlooked Veggies on his 2010 tape, Sleeping In Class, which was absolutely great. Of course, there is speculation that the split between Veggies and OF was less than amicable, but you couldn’t tell by the disgustingly fresh “PNCINTLOFWGKTA”, which features Tyler, the Creator, Domo Genesis, Hodgy Beats and Earl Sweatshirt, with production from Tyler, the Creator. I’ve long been a fan of Casey Veggies, and I’m sure this mixtape will enable me to continue my fandom.

Download: Customized Greatly 3, Casey Veggies