Iconic Chicago Legend DJ Casper Dies

A Legend on the vibrant Chicago music scene, DJ Casper, most famous for his hit song the “Casper Slide,” passed away on August 7th after battling cancer for years, according to his wife Kim. Born William Perry Jr. in Chicago on May 31, 1965, Perry got his big break in 2000 when he created the “Casper Slide Part II.” The song was picked up by Elroy Smith at WGCI 107.5 in Chicago and immediately became one of the most heavily requested songs in the station’s history. Before you knew it, the song was being played not just at clubs and parties, but at wedding receptions, bar mitzvahs, family reunions and any other type of celebratory gathering. The iconic song brings together people from all walks of life. He first created the song as an aerobic exercise and had no idea the song would takeoff the way it did to become an international hit.

He did his last television interview in May of this year with ABC 7 Chicago’s Samantha Chatman. His final words in the interview remain a part of his legacy: “Know that you have cancer. Cancer doesn’t have you. So keep on doing the Cha Cha Slide.”

Services for Perry are pending.

Reported on Aug. 8, 2023