AceShowbiz - DJ Casper has passed away aged 58. The music star was famous for creating the instructional dance hit "Cha Cha Slide" which topped various charts upon its release in 2000 and went on to sell more than half a million copies worldwide - but is said to have passed away on Monday, August 7 in his native Chicago following a battle with cancer, according to ABC News.

In 2016, the musician - whose real name was Willie Perry Jr. - was first diagnosed with two types of cancer but had been in remission for several years when the illness returned.

In what became his last televised interview earlier this year, he explained, "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. 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."

Following his death, the outlet released a posthumous statement in which he urged fellow cancer sufferers to keep going. He said, "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!' "

DJ Casper's only other single release was "Oops Up Side Your Head" - a cover of the 1970s R&B classic by the Gap Band - but he also released the album "Out Champ" in 1999, "Casper" in 2001, and "I Love You" which came out just last year.

On his biggest hit, Casper explained that it started life as an aerobics exercise track before it became a hit around the world. He said, "When I first did it, I did it as an aerobic exercise for my nephew at Bally's .From there, it just took off. I have one of the biggest songs that played at all stadiums, hockey, basketball, football, baseball; they played it at the Olympics. It was something that everybody could do."