DJ Casper
American disc jockey (1965–2023)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
William Perry Jr. (May 31, 1965 – August 7, 2023), better known as DJ Casper (also known as Mr. C the Slide Man), was an American disc jockey.[1] Born and raised in Chicago, he was known as "Casper" due to frequently being clad in all white attire on stage.[2] He was best known for his 2000 single "Cha Cha Slide".
May 31, 1965
DJ Casper | |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Mr. C the Slide Man |
| Born | William Perry Jr. May 31, 1965 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | August 7, 2023 (aged 58) Hazel Crest, Illinois, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Kidney and Liver cancer |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1998–2023 |
| Labels | |
Career
Perry's first and only hit record, "Casper Slide Pt. 1" – also known as "Cha Cha Slide" – was created by Perry for his nephew, who worked as a personal trainer at a Bally Total Fitness in 1998.[3] After the song grew in popularity as an aerobic exercise at fitness clubs and PE in schools, Casper created a second song in 2000, titled "Casper Slide Pt. 2", which was picked up by Elroy Smith at Chicago's radio station, WGCI-FM.[4]
The song became a hit in Chicago in 2004, when the city's M.O.B. Records record label became involved as well, helping Perry create a whole compilation album with other Chicago-based artists to promote the dance.[5] "Cha Cha Slide" was later picked up by Universal Records and became a global hit, most notably in the United Kingdom, where it topped the UK Singles Chart in March 2004 and became Britain's third best-selling song of 2004.[3]
Perry made an appearance as a DJ in a season 6 episode of Orange Is the New Black, in Crazy Eyes' hallucination of the prisoners and guards line dancing to the Cha Cha Slide.[6]
Illness and death
In January 2016, Perry was diagnosed with kidney cancer and neuroendocrine cancer.[7][8] After an unsuccessful surgery the same month, he began chemotherapy.[8] In an interview in July 2018, he stated he was in remission.[9] In 2019, Perry stated that he beat his kidney and liver cancers and said he was a changed man, stating "that was God's way of just slowing me down just a little bit."[10]
Perry died of kidney and liver cancer on August 7, 2023, at the age of 58.[11][12] He was remembered as the Cha Cha Slide creator in national outlets as well as local Chicago media, with radio personality Seandale Hunley declaring Perry a "Chicago icon" and suggesting Perry was dancing the Cha Cha Slide in Heaven: "He up there Cha-Chaing right now, man."[11]
