School is back, summer is winding down… or is it? This week on Up in the Mix, the boys debate when summer actually ends in Reno and whether the more iconic young-adult experience is a huge house party or a long night of bar hopping with friends.

They also get into the latest sports and news stories, including the Lakers’ latest sale, FIFA and private equity, the continuing Kawhi Leonard/Clippers drama, and questions surrounding Trumpito's health.

For the Deep Dive, they take a look at the decline of literacy in America. Why are both adult and student literacy rates falling? We talk about changes in education policy, the reading instruction controversy highlighted in Sold a Story, the effects of phones and short-form media, and what AI could mean for the future of reading and writing.

Plus: The Pitt, Spider-Man, relegation in American sports, X-Men vs. Avengers, and a Final Word on climate change, hotter summers, and why climate policy matters.

Lastly, Shaughn unveils his plan to fix College Football.

Another week, another mix. 🎙️

This week on the show, the boys are joined by Daniel Vargas from Reno City Guide to talk about the city we call home. They get into how Reno City Guide got started, Daniel’s connection to the community, his favorite places around town, and some of the people, businesses, and experiences that make the Biggest Little City unique.

They also talk about how Reno has changed, what’s happening around town, and what makes this such an interesting time to be here.

Whether you’ve lived in Reno your whole life or you’re still discovering the city, this is a conversation about getting to know the place we call home.

This week on Up in the Mix, Shaughn and Cesar sit down with Reno photographer and Half Lit founder Rachel Dickson for a conversation about photography, creativity, and building an artistic community.

Rachel shares how she got her start behind the camera, the first camera she ever owned, the photographers who have inspired her work, and the styles of photography she's most passionate about. We also take a deep dive into Half Lit, her independently produced photography zine, discussing what inspired her to create it, the challenges of publishing an independent magazine, and some of the unexpected lessons she's learned along the way.

Whether you're a photographer, an artist, or simply someone who appreciates creative storytelling, this episode offers an inside look at the passion and dedication behind documenting the world through a lens.

🎧 Listen, subscribe, leave a review, and help us keep sharing the artists, creatives, politicians, and others who are helping to improve our community and world.

Follow Up in the Mix for new episodes, and catch our radio show every Friday at 9 PM on 97.7 KWNK FM.

This week on Up In The Mix, the boys break down who actually wins when the public's resources get handed over for private gain. From right here in Nevada to all across the country, they take a look at what the Public is actually getting from these private subsidies.

Also in this episode:

• They dissect the US Men’s overall World Cup performance. Are we building a soccer powerhouse, or just spinning our wheels on the world stage?

• The News: Lindsey Graham’s passing, Mitch McConnell’s future, and the active corporate threats to Utah's stunning National Parks.

• The Deep Dive: Corporate tax breaks are the ultimate shell game. They explain why "incentivizing business" is actually a multi-billion-dollar scam on the taxpayer.

• Take It or Leave It: No more "hot take culture". Plus, a hard look at how extreme capitalism is actively eroding our public spaces and peace of mind.

• The Final Word: No. More. Remakes. Unless a piece of media is at least 75 years old and mostly forgotten, let it lie. We need original human ideas more than ever—especially with the current trajectory of AI.

All of this, plus a random social studies lesson, a quick look at the racism storm surrounding Argentina, and Binge or Skip picks for X-Men '97, Sleeping with Other People, and Supergirl.

Up In The Mix is an independent, corporate-free podcast. If you love the show, hit that follow button on wherever you get the podcast, leave us a 5-star rating, and share this episode with a friend.

With November’s election locked in and no opposition on the ballot, Zee Bogale is officially set to become Reno’s next City Attorney. But what does that actually mean for the community, and what is his vision for the city’s legal future?

In Episode 204, the boys sit down with Zee to go beyond the campaign talking points. We dig into the actual mechanics of the City Attorney’s office, his priorities for accountability, and how his leadership will impact the day-to-day lives of Reno residents starting this winter. He also explains the local court systems here in Nevada and how they function, and he talks about his side job teaching at the University of Nevada, Reno. Whether you follow local politics closely or just want to know who is running the city's legal landscape, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.

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Summer is officially here, and the boys are kicking things off with a massive week in sports and culture. First, New York stands up—the Knicks are your 2026 NBA Champions! They discuss the historic run, ask if Wemby is being positioned as the league's ultimate villain, celebrate Lewis Hamilton’s legendary first win in Ferrari red, and explain why New York is still the most American city.

Next, they argue the greatest summer movie ever made — Jaws, Back to the Future, Independence Day, Dark Knight, and Infinity War all in the ring — and break down why coming-of-age movies hit different when it's hot outside. Plus Invincible vs. Mando, a sneaker remix, and a Final Word on the Giants players who said no to Pride Night.

If you’re feeling the vibe, tap those 5 stars on Spotify, leave a quick review, and share this episode with a friend.

New episodes drop every week. Peace!

School is officially out, summer is here, and the boys are kicking off the break with a heavy reality check. On this episode of Up in the Mix, they take a long look at the state of the world—diving deep into the evolution of AI and the decline of adult literacy in America.

They also take a moment to pay respects to two monumental music icons who recently passed: hip-hop pioneer Rob Base and the legendary jazz giant Sonny Rollins.

Plus, these topics are debated and discussed:

• The Headlines: Trump’s wild new intelligence director appointment, rumors of a brand new Jay-Z album, and whether the Knicks going deep into the playoffs is actually dropping city crime rates.

• Binge or Skip: Takes on Office Romance and Daredevil.

• There Can Be Only One: The ultimate, definitive debate over the absolute best meat to throw on the grill for a summer session.

• Pop Culture Remix: Settling the score on the ultimate childhood memory—was the legendary 90s TGIF lineup better than Saturday Morning Cartoons?

We wrap it all up with a massive final shout-out to all our fellow teachers, educators, and students out there surviving the school year. Grab a cold drink, fire up the grill, and enjoy all the easy living of summer.

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If you can't afford a house in Nevada, this episode explains exactly why.

One corporate investor bought 264 homes in Nevada in a single day. Nevada ranks dead last in affordable housing. And the politicians who could have stopped it — didn't. This week the boys break down how Wall Street quietly bought up your neighborhood, why your landlord might be a New York hedge fund, and what Nevada's lawmakers keep failing to do about it.

But this episode isn't just about housing. They also expose the dirty history behind America's tipping culture — a system designed after the Civil War to avoid paying Black workers a living wage that's still extracting money from working people today.

Plus:

• The most overrated movie since 2000

• The case for bringing back third places — and why their disappearance is making us lonelier and more divided

• Everything you need to know about Reno's June 9th primary — who's running for mayor, who's endorsed by who and where to find your voting resources

Up in the Mix is for the people — bringing you entertaining and educational discussions about culture, politics and community through a hip hop lens. Hosted by Shaughn Richardson and Cesar Lopez on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Their weekly hip hop radio show can be heard every Friday at 9pm on 97.7 KWNK FM in Reno, Nevada, and at kwnkradio.org anywhere in the world where good hip hop is needed.

New here? Start with this episode. You won't be disappointed.

Two hundred episodes deep! The boys kick off this landmark session by looking back at some of the wildest, funniest memories from the last 199 episodes.

This week's topics include tracking the final collapse of Spirit Airlines, a bizarre hazmat situation in the sky, and Drake’s latest drop. Plus, we look at Kash Patel's luxury VIP snorkeling packages, check in on AI agents rebelling against the system, and drop a random social studies lesson you didn't know you needed.

Later on, we deliver a heavy deep dive into how private equity is quietly dismantling democracy, and draft the Top 5 most iconic HBO characters of all time.

To all of our listeners—whether you’ve been riding with us since Episode 1 or you just discovered us today—thank you. If you enjoy the culture and the conversation, don't be shy: comment on our social pages, like and share the posts, leave a review on your favorite podcast platform, and keep interacting with the content. We appreciate the love!

In this special episode, artist Orlando Oh describes his journey to Israel and then Palestine on the eve of war. He visits Hebron and a refugee camp on the West Bank to visit a friend and help do some art workshops with students, but his journey is cut short when Israeli and US strikes on Iran begin. He must then leave behind his new friends and find a way back to the US.