DJ Casper
Background information
Birth nameWilliam Perry Jr.
Also known asMr. C the Slide Man
Born(1965-05-31)May 31, 1965
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedAugust 7, 2023(2023-08-07) (aged 58)
Hazel Crest, Illinois, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)
  • DJ
  • hype man
  • songwriter
Years active1998–2023
Labels

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".

Career

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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.[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

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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]

Discography

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Perry with Mia Park at the taping of the 500th episode of Chic-a-Go-Go.

Albums

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Singles

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List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US US
R&B 		AUS[15] GER IRE NL SWI UK
"Cha Cha Slide" 2000 83 24 64 83 3 12 86 1 Cha-Cha Slide: The Original Slide Album
"Oops Up Side Your Head" 2004 – – – – 25 – – 16 Non-album single

References

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  1. ^ "CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Business". Archived from the original on November 2, 2007. Retrieved October 27, 2007.
  2. ^ V103.com Archived August 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ a b Eng, Monica; Nagasawa, Katherine (2019). "The Cha-Cha Slide And More: Which Dances Were Invented In Chicago?". npr. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  4. ^ Madarang, Charisma (August 8, 2023). "DJ Casper, Creator of the Beloved 'Cha Cha Slide,' Dead at 58". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  5. ^ "DJ Casper, 'Cha Cha Slide' creator, dies at 58". NBC News. August 8, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  6. ^ "'Orange Is The New Black': Why the DJ Casper "Cha-Cha Slide" Moment Is So Devastating". Decider. July 27, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  7. ^ "Benefit for Casper/Cancer Meds by Willie Casper Perry – GoFundMe". GoFundMe. May 18, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  8. ^ a b "'Cha Cha Slide' Creator DJ Casper Fighting Cancer – JetMag.com". Jet Magazine. May 20, 2016. Archived from the original on October 31, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
  9. ^ "'Orange Is the New Black: Behind Season 6 Most Surprising Cameo". Vanity Fair. July 28, 2018.
  10. ^ Sanders, Hosea (October 25, 2019). "DJ Casper, known for 'Cha Cha Slide,' celebrates beating cancer". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
  11. ^ "Chicago native DJ Capser, creator of the "Cha-Cha Slide," has died". CBS News Chicago. August 7, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  12. ^ Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (August 8, 2023). "DJ Casper, who had No 1 hit with Cha Cha Slide, dies aged 52". The Guardian. Retrieved August 8, 2023.[dead link]
  13. ^ a b Bulbul, Nuray (August 8, 2023). "DJ Casper: Musician who created Cha Cha Slide dies aged 58". Evening Standard. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  14. ^ "I Love You". February 25, 2022.
  15. ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 84.
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