diff --git a/irs/config.py b/irs/config.py
index 76c46f5..cdb7108 100644
--- a/irs/config.py
+++ b/irs/config.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import sys
 from os import path
 
+
 sys.path.append(path.expanduser("~/.irs"))  # Add config to path
 
 import config_  # from "~/.irs/config_.py"
diff --git a/irs/ripper.py b/irs/ripper.py
index cf1a5af..d8455a2 100644
--- a/irs/ripper.py
+++ b/irs/ripper.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class Ripper:
         if self.args["hook-text"].get("converting") is not None:
             CONFIG["converting"] = self.args["hook-text"]["converting"]
 
-        self.args = ObjManip.set_utf8_encoding(self.args)
+        print(self.args["song"])
 
         self.locations = []
         self.type = None
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ class Ripper:
     def find_yt_url(self, song=None, artist=None, additional_search=None):
         if additional_search is None:
             additional_search = Config.parse_search_terms(self)
-            print(self.args["hook-text"].get("youtube"))
+            print(str(self.args["hook-text"].get("youtube")))
 
         try:
             if not song:
@@ -142,7 +142,8 @@ class Ripper:
             raise ValueError("Must specify song_title/artist in `args` with \
 init, or in method arguments.")
 
-        search_terms = song + " " + artist + " " + additional_search
+        search_terms = str(song) + " " + str(artist
+                                             ) + " " + str(additional_search)
         query_string = urlencode({"search_query": (
                                  search_terms.encode('utf-8'))})
         link = "http://www.youtube.com/results?" + query_string
@@ -370,7 +371,6 @@ init, or in method arguments.")
         if data == {}:
             data = self.parse_song_data(song, artist)
             if data != {}:
-                data = ObjManip.set_utf8_encoding(data)
                 song = data["name"]
                 artist = data["artist"]
 
@@ -379,11 +379,9 @@ init, or in method arguments.")
 
         video_url, video_title = self.find_yt_url(song, artist)
 
-        print(self.args["hook-text"].get("song")
-              .encode('utf-8').format(song, artist))
+        print(self.args["hook-text"].get("song").format(song, artist))
 
-        file_name = str(data["file_prefix"] + ObjManip.blank(song, False) +
-                        ".mp3")
+        file_name = data["file_prefix"] + ObjManip.blank(song, False) + ".mp3"
 
         ydl_opts = {
             'format': 'bestaudio/best',
diff --git a/irs/utils.py b/irs/utils.py
index 964cf27..f5a0c8a 100644
--- a/irs/utils.py
+++ b/irs/utils.py
@@ -15,8 +15,11 @@ from time import sleep
 import pkg_resources
 
 # Config File and Flags
-import config
-CONFIG = config.CONFIG
+if sys.version_info[0] == 2:
+    import config
+    CONFIG = config.CONFIG
+else:
+    from irs.config import CONFIG
 
 
 # ==================
@@ -57,17 +60,19 @@ class YdlUtils:
 # Object Manipulation and Checking
 # ================================
 
-def set_utf8_encoding(ld):  # ld => a list or dictionary with strings in it
+def set_encoding(ld, encoding):  # ld => list or dictionary with strings in it
     if type(ld) == dict:
         for k in ld:
             if type(ld[k]) == dict or type(ld[k]) == list:
-                ld[k] = set_utf8_encoding(ld[k])
+                ld[k] = set_encoding(ld[k], encoding)
             elif type(ld[k]) == str:
-                ld[k] = ld[k].encode('utf-8')
+                ld[k] = encoding(ld[k])
     elif type(ld) == list:
         for index, datum in enumerate(ld):
             if type(datum) == str:
-                ld[index] = datum.encode('utf-8')
+                ld[index] = encoding(datum)
+            elif type(ld[k]) == dict or type(ld[k]) == list:
+                ld[k] = set_encoding(ld[k], encoding)
     return ld
 
 
@@ -92,7 +97,7 @@ class ObjManip:  # Object Manipulation
     def blank(string, downcase=True):
         import re
         regex = re.compile('[^a-zA-Z0-9\ ]')
-        string = regex.sub('', string)
+        string = regex.sub('', str(string))
         if downcase:
             string = string.lower()
         return ' '.join(string.split())
@@ -133,8 +138,12 @@ class ObjManip:  # Object Manipulation
                 del new_d[x]
         return new_d
 
-    def set_utf8_encoding(ld):  # ld => a list or dictionary with strings in it
-        return set_utf8_encoding(ld)
+    # ld => a list or dictionary with strings in it
+    def set_utf8_encoding(ld):
+        return set_encoding(ld, lambda x: x.encode('utf-8'))
+
+    def set_encoding(*args):
+        return set_encoding(*args)
 
 # ========================================
 # Download Log Reading/Updating/Formatting
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 8b06e19..3e78e66 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@ class PostInstallCommand(install):
         from shutil import copyfile
 
         print("\n\nDownloading Dependencies:\n")
-        ydl_binaries.download_ffmpeg("~/.irs/bin")
-        ydl_binaries.update_ydl("~/.irs/bin")
+        # ydl_binaries.download_ffmpeg("~/.irs/bin")
+        # ydl_binaries.update_ydl("~/.irs/bin")
 
         config_file = path.expanduser("~/.irs/config_.py")
         if not path.isfile(config_file):