DJ Casper, creator of ‘Cha Cha Slide,’ dies at 58, eight years after kidney and liver cancer diagnosis

Cha Cha Slide creator DJ Casper has died at the age of 58 eight years after kidney and liver cancer diagnosis. 

In 2016, the songwriter revealed he had been diagnosed with kidney and liver cancer, and his wife Kim confirmed to ABC 7 on Tuesday that he had passed away after battling the disease.

The Chicago-born star – real name Willie Perry Jr -was best known for writing the popular 2000 song Cha Cha Slide and creating its accompanying dance.

Perry revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and shared regular updates with his fans. 

He had been in remission for several years when the cancer returned, according to Chicago’s ABC 7.

‘They diagnosed me in 2016 with two kinds of cancer, which is renal and Neuroendocrine, which is kidney and liver,’ Perry told the network in what was his last televised interview in May 2023. 

‘They went in to try to do surgery, and they found out the kidney was connected to the main artery, so they decided not to do it and just treat it.’

‘I used to weigh 236 pounds, and I think I’m about 60 pounds less,’ Casper added. ‘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.’

Speaking about his line dance craze, the songwriter explained how he originally created the dance for his nephew who worked at Bally’s Total Fitness.

‘When I first did it, I did it as an aerobic exercise for my nephew at Bally’s,’ Casper said.

‘From there, it just took off. I have one of the biggest songs that played at all stadiums: hockey, basketball, football, baseball; they played it at the Olympics.

‘It was something that everybody could do.’

The line dance song went on to become an international sensation, becoming part of the repertoire of weddings and school dances across the world. 

Casper, whose real name is Willie Perry Jr., said his original song, “The Cha-Cha Slide,” was created as aerobic exercise for his nephew who worked at Bally’s Total Fitness. “From there, it just took off. Elroy Smith from WGCI grabbed ahold of it,” he said.

In 2020, his second song titled “Casper Slide Pt. 2” was picked up by Chicago’s WGCI-FM radio station and eventually Universal Records, and released in 2000 — spending five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.