Chicago native Willie Perry Jr., better known as DJ Casper, tragically passed away on August 7, 2023, after a long battle with cancer. DJ Casper was the infamous creator of the song “Casper Slide Pt. 1,” more commonly referred to as the ‘Cha Cha Slide.’
His nickname ‘Casper’ came from Perry Jr.’s trademark of wearing all white on stage, reminiscent of Casper the Friendly Ghost from the 1995 movie.
DJ Casper initially created the ‘Cha Cha Slide’ for his nephew, who worked as a personal trainer in 1998 and sought a motivational song for his clients. Eventually, “Casper Slide Pt. 1” grew in popularity at fitness clubs, often played during aerobic exercises. Two years later, DJ Casper released a second song known as “Casper Slide Pt. 2,” which was featured on the Chicago radio station WGCI-FM.
It took four more years for the ‘Cha Cha Slide’ to become a hit, then it was picked up by Universal Records and began playing in bars and clubs as a go-to hype song to get patrons flocking to the dance floor.
One of the most iconic instances of the ‘Cha Cha Slide’ being featured in media would be Orange is the New Black, during a scene in which Crazy Eyes hallucinates her fellow inmates dancing to the song. DJ Casper himself even makes a cameo appearance.
In 2016, Perry Jr. was diagnosed with both kidney cancer and neuroendocrine cancer. A few years later, he was believed to be in remission, but eventually lost the battle in 2023.