07-16-2023 Baltimore's Best - Flipbook - Page 18
18 The Baltimore Sun | Sunday, July 16, 2023
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BALTIMORE SUN’S BEST READERS’ CHOICE 2023 PEOPLE & MEDIA
BEST DJ
DJ STEEZY
Steve Backmon, also known by his stage name
“DJ Steezy,” grew up in a family of educators
and musicians. He discovered his passions as
an academic and an artist working as a teacher
during the week and a disc jockey on the weekends.
Backmon has been mixing music for almost
five years, inspired by his dad, who was also a
disc jockey. He received his first mixer from
a member of a local community of disc jockeys, and started working gigs as a feature artist.
Backmon, who primarily plays at bars and
restaurants in Baltimore and Annapolis, said he
is looking to expand his business as a headliner
for festivals. He said since becoming a DJ, he
hasn’t looked back and that winning Baltimore’s
Best proves that his years of hard work have not
been in vain.
He said it’s also rewarding to see people come
to multiple shows.
“The versatility of being able to play for multiple different crowds and multiple different
places and still being able to draw on a crowd …
has helped me branch out and be able to play so
many places around the city,” he said.
Backmon said his two careers occasionally
overlap. He works as a special education teacher
at St. Elizabeth School in Baltimore, following the career paths of his grandmother and
his aunts. He began as a paraeducator and gym
teacher assistant and later went back to school
at the University of Notre Dame for his masters
in teaching. He also DJs for his school’s events
including proms, school dances, company
parties, and co-workers’ kid’s birthday parties.
Like any other gig, Backmon draws on the
energy of his audience to determine what music
to play, and lets his mood drive his playlist.
“Music isn’t a sound, it’s a feeling,” Backmon
said, quoting a popular phrase for house-music
DJs. “I like the idea that music isn’t what you
listen to, it’s how you feel when you listen to it.”
— Hailey Closson
DJ Steezy was voted winner for Best DJ for
Baltimore’s Best 2023. DJ was born in Baltimore,
and deejay is his side hustle. He works as a Special
ED Teacher at St. Elizabeth’s School in Baltimore
City. KEVIN RICHARDSON
ACTIVIST
FRANK NEIGHOFF,
CHESAPEAKE BAY
ASSOCIATION INC.
Honorable mentions:
Kate Cook, Hands on HIIT
Devin Allen
Letrice Gant, Baltimore
Ceasefire 365
AUTHOR
CHARMYRA E. FLEMING
Honorable mentions:
Laura Lippman
D. Watkins
Anne Tyler
CLERGYPERSON
BRIAN NOLAN, ST. ISAAC
JOGUES CATHOLIC CHURCH
Honorable mentions:
Chesky Tenenbaum, Jewish
Uniformed Service Association of
Maryland
Craig McLaughlin, Mt. Zion UMC
Jim Muratore, St. Luke’s Church on
the Avenue
COLLEGE ATHLETE
ANGEL REESE, LSU
COLLEGE PROFESSOR
GINA LAUPERT, TOWSON
UNIVERSITY
LSU’s Angel Reese during the second half of the NCAA Women’s Final Four
championship basketball game. The athlete, from Baltimore, was voted Best
College Athlete. DARRON CUMMINGS/AP
Ravens kicker Justin Tucker was voted
Best Raven.
Baltimore Orioles
catcher Adley
Rutschman.
KENNETH K. LAM/BALTIMORE SUN
Ping Regis, call_me_ping
KARL MERTON
FERRON/THE
BALTIMORE SUN
SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
CHARLES STEMBLER,
CALVERT HALL COLLEGE
HIGH SCHOOL
Honorable mentions:
D. Alan Orr, MICA
Rebecca Bradley, MICA
Shawntaye Adams, Community
College of Baltimore County, Catonsville
Honorable mentions:
Sister Patricia McCarron, Notre
Dame Preparatory
Chris G. Cook, Homestead Wakefield Elementary
Sister Susan Louise Eder,
Immaculate Heart of Mary
DJ
DJ STEEZY
Honorable mentions:
Global Quan
DJ Kopec
DJ Chuckspinz
SPORTS TALK SHOW
BIG BAD MORNING SHOW,
105.7
INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
@BMOREFOOD
Honorable mention:
Mike Popovec, 10 5 -7 The Fan
Honorable mentions:
Krystal Washington, @bubblytv
Wave KD @kingdoue1
Samantha Stern @
baltimorefoodscene
STAGE ACTOR
EMILY KAROL, MARYLAND
RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
Honorable mentions:
Deborah Hazlett, Everyman Theatre
Jordan B. Stocksdale, Toby’s Dinner
Theatre
Cori Dioquino, Strand Theater Co.
METEOROLOGIST
AVA MARIE, WBAL
Honorable mentions:
Justin Berk, Just In Weather
Justin Chambers, Fox 45
Tony Pann, WBAL
TV PERSONALITY
DENISE KOCH, WJZ
Honorable mentions:
Jamie Costello, WMAR
Marty Bass, WJZ
Rick Ritter, WJZ
ORIOLE
ADLEY RUTSCHMAN
Honorable mentions:
Cedric Mullins
Bruce Zimmermann
Aaron Dante’s podcast,“No Pix After Dark.” KIM HAIRSTON/BALTIMORE SUN
TWITTER FEED
PERSONAL TRAINER
JESSICA KERN, INLINE
BARRE
Honorable mentions:
Lily Pohlenz, F45 Fells Point
Matt Wilson, Do Work Factory
Justin Inman, Dr. Baltimore Big
House Fitness
POLITICIAN/GOVERNMENT
OFFICIAL
RADIO STATION
MARYLAND GOV. WES MOORE
Honorable mentions:
98 Rock Baltimore - WIYY FM
93.1 WPOC
WTMD 89.7 FM
Honorable mentions:
Rep. Jamie Raskin
Tony Giangiordano, Harford County
Council
Odette Ramos, Baltimore City
Council
PODCAST
NO PIX AFTER DARK
RADIO HOST
Honorable mentions:
The Mo & Katy Show
Just LIV
Stavvy’s World (tie)
The City That Breeds (tie)
LAURIE DEYOUNG, WPOCFM/BALTIMORE
Honorable mentions:
Justin, Scott, and Spiegel, 98 Rock
C4 , WBAL
Tom Hall, WYPR
WYPR 88.1 FM
RAVEN
JUSTIN TUCKER
Honorable mentions:
Lamar Jackson
Mark Andrews
ARCHDIOCESE OF
BALTIMORE CATHOLIC
SCHOOLS, @
ARCHBALTSCHOOLS
Honorable mentions:
Carol Ott, @carolsott
The Modest Florist, @ModestFlorist
Courtney Bindl,
@notmythirdrodeo (tie)
J.B. Shepard, @Puptrait (tie)
VISUAL ARTIST
JOYCE SCOTT
REDDITOR
JB SHEPARD, PUPTRAIT
Honorable mentions:
Jill Lauren, Jill853
Honorable mentions:
Juliet Ames
Matt Muirhead
Reed Bmore
Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from April to June. The results are generated solely by readers’votes. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.