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".
DJ Casper | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | William Perry Jr. |
| Also known as | Mr. C the Slide Man |
| Born | May 31, 1965 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | August 7, 2023 (aged 58) Hazel Crest, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1998–2023 |
| Labels | |
Career
editPerry'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
editIn 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
editThis section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2023) |
Albums
edit- Out Champ (1999)[13]
- Cha-Cha Slide: The Original Slide Album (2000)
- Casper (2001)[13]
- I Love You (2022)[14]
Singles
edit| 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
edit- ^ "CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Business". Archived from the original on November 2, 2007. Retrieved October 27, 2007.
- ^ V103.com Archived August 20, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Eng, Monica; Nagasawa, Katherine (2019). "The Cha-Cha Slide And More: Which Dances Were Invented In Chicago?". npr. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
- ^ Madarang, Charisma (August 8, 2023). "DJ Casper, Creator of the Beloved 'Cha Cha Slide,' Dead at 58". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
- ^ "DJ Casper, 'Cha Cha Slide' creator, dies at 58". NBC News. August 8, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
- ^ "'Orange Is The New Black': Why the DJ Casper "Cha-Cha Slide" Moment Is So Devastating". Decider. July 27, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
- ^ "Benefit for Casper/Cancer Meds by Willie Casper Perry – GoFundMe". GoFundMe. May 18, 2016. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "'Orange Is the New Black: Behind Season 6 Most Surprising Cameo". Vanity Fair. July 28, 2018.
- ^ Sanders, Hosea (October 25, 2019). "DJ Casper, known for 'Cha Cha Slide,' celebrates beating cancer". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
- ^ "Chicago native DJ Capser, creator of the "Cha-Cha Slide," has died". CBS News Chicago. August 7, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
- ^ 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]
- ^ a b Bulbul, Nuray (August 8, 2023). "DJ Casper: Musician who created Cha Cha Slide dies aged 58". Evening Standard. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
- ^ "I Love You". February 25, 2022.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 84.