Nationwide — DJ Casper, whose real name is William Perry Jr. and the creator of the popular dance anthem “Cha Cha Slide,” has sadly passed away at the age of 58 due to cancer.DJ Casper, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, was diagnosed with kidney and liver cancer in 2016, according to Ebony. But he faced his health challenges with a positive attitude, always reminding his fans to keep sliding to the “Cha Cha Slide.”
His infamous song, released in 2000, started as a step aerobics routine for his nephew who was a personal trainer. It quickly became a sensation, played at stadiums, sports events, and parties worldwide. DJ Casper even had the honor of opening for James Brown during one of his tours.
Despite his cancer diagnosis and health struggles, DJ Casper never gave up. He shared his journey, revealing, “They diagnosed me in 2016 with two kinds of cancer, which is renal and Neuroendocrine, which is kidney and liver.”
“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. 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,” he said.
Recently, DJ Casper reached out to his fans, especially those battling cancer, with a heartfelt message: “Anybody that’s going through cancer, know that you have cancer and cancer does not have you. So, keep on doing the ‘Cha Cha Slide.'”