"Cha-Cha Slide”, DJ Casper dies aged 58

DJ Casper, the US musician who had an enduring worldwide hit with Cha Cha Slide, has died aged 58. DJ Casper had been diagnosed with kidney and liver cancer in 2016, and died from the illness.

Born Willie Perry Jr in Chicago where DJ Casper continued to live, Casper created Cha Cha Slide in 1998 as a musical exercise routine for his personal trainer nephew, and its popularity began to snowball in the Chicago area.

The song was signed locally, then by a major label, taking it to an international stage. With its line-dancing routine and upbeat commands from Casper (who released it as Mr C the Slide Man), it became a favourite at weddings, children’s parties, sports events and more.

The lyrics encouraged dancers to "slide to the left/right", "clap your hands" and go "all the way to the floor".

In an interview  in May, its creator, known as Casper for wearing all-white when on stage, said he hoped the dance track would continue to serve as a reminder of the power of unity, community and positivity.

"I have one of the biggest songs that's played at all stadiums: hockey, basketball, football, baseball; they played it at the Olympics," said the hype man, who once toured with funk and soul star James Brown. "It was just something that everybody could do."

Casper said the track quickly took off and he got requests to perform it at local clubs and parties, according to WBEZ. Chicago's WGCI-FM radio station aired the song in 2000 before it was eventually picked up by Universal Record

From humble workout track to global phenomenon, the "Cha Cha Slide" endures to this day as a staple at weddings, birthday parties, school phys ed classes and more.

In the song, Casper calls out easy-to-follow steps that invite dancers to slide to the left and right, criss cross, Charlie Brown and — of course — cha cha real smooth.

Now a pop culture mainstay, the "Cha Cha Slide" has stomped its way into shows like Orange is the New Black and Saturday Night Live.

In 2016, Casper was diagnosed with renal and neuroendocrine cancer. After surgery to remove the cancer was unsuccessful, he began chemotherapy and in 2018 announced that he had entered remission.

However, in an interview with ABC7 in May, Casper said that he was struggling with the illness once again and had lost a lot of weight in recent years.

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Sarah H

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