WASHINGTON — DJ Casper, the creator of the hit dance song "Cha Cha Slide," died Monday, according to a Chicago news outlet. He was 58.
Casper died after fighting cancer for seven years, ABC7 Chicago reported. The Chicago TV station was the first to report on Casper's death.
Casper, born Willie Perry Jr. in Chicago, was a beloved son of the city, who came up with arguably the most popular line dance for events and parties across the U.S.
The "Cha Cha Slide" features simple instructions, an easy beat to follow and lots of movement, making it a fan-favorite at events that can get even the people who say "I don't dance" onto the floor.
According to Variety, the song was originally released under the title “Casper Slide Pt. 1,” was made in 1998 for Casper’s nephew, who held an aerobics class as a personal trainer. A second version, the "Casper Slide Pt. 2," was released in 2000, and started getting play on the radio. In 2004, the song, by then titled "Cha Cha Slide," hit No. 1 on the U.K. Singles chart, as well as the Scotland and Ireland Dance charts.
Casper was diagnosed in 2016 with kidney and liver cancer. By May of this year, he told ABC7 that he was having health problems, but vowed to remain positive.
"I used to weigh 236 pounds, and I think I'm about 60 pounds less," Casper told the TV station in what would be his last interview before his death. "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."