DJ Casper Dies at 58: Creator of 'Cha Cha Slide' Party Dance Classic

DJ Casper, best known for creating the hit song "Cha Cha Slide," has died at 58 after a battle with cancer.

DJ Casper, the talented artist behind the iconic "Cha Cha Slide," has sadly passed away at the age of 58 after a long battle with cancer. His wife confirmed the news to ABC 7, revealing that he passed away on Monday, August 7.

Legend has it that Casper, whose real name was William Perry Jr., created the famous song for his nephew, who was a fitness trainer at Bally. Originally titled "Casper Slide Pt. 1," the line dancing track quickly gained popularity with its catchy instructions like "To the left/ Take it back y'all/ One hop this time/ Right foot, let's stomp/ Left foot, let's stomp/ Cha cha real smooth." It became a global sensation, played at various events such as bar/bat mitzvahs, proms, weddings, and parties of all kinds.

In one of his final interviews in May, Casper, known for his signature all-white stage outfits, expressed his surprise at the worldwide success of "Cha Cha Slide." He had initially created it as an aerobic exercise for his nephew at Bally's. Little did he know that Elroy Smith from WGCI-FM in Chicago would pick it up and play a new version called "Casper Slide Pt. 2" in 2000. The song became a local hit and eventually led to a deal with Universal Records, with the track being included on the record, Cha-Cha Slide: The Original Slide Album.

Reflecting on his accomplishments, Casper proudly mentioned that his song was played at various stadiums, including those for hockey, basketball, football, and baseball. It even made an appearance at the Olympics. "It was something that everybody could do," he said.

In 2016, a GoFundMe campaign was launched for Casper when he revealed his battle with liver and kidney cancer. Despite losing a significant amount of weight, he remained determined to fight on. He stated, "If you know me, you know I'm not going to stop. I'm going to continue to go. I'm going to continue to go until I can't go."

Casper's legacy extends beyond his famous song. In 2018, he made a surprise appearance on the hit Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, where one of the characters envisions everyone in the psych ward doing the "Cha Cha Slide," including Casper himself, dressed as a prison orderly working the turntables. He also worked as an on-air personality on iHeart radio station V103 in Chicago and created the streaming station Casper Classic Radio. Despite announcing that his cancer was in remission in 2019, it unfortunately returned.

Casper believed that his legacy would always be tied to the joy and unity that "Cha Cha Slide" brought through its positive message. He encouraged those battling cancer to keep dancing and not let the disease define them. "Anybody that's going through cancer, know that you have cancer and cancer does not have you," he said. "So, keep on doing the 'Cha Cha Slide.'"

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