Producer Charles Chambers, known as DJ Funk, has died at 54. His death was confirmed on March 6, 2025. He had been battling advanced cancer.

Born in Chicago, DJ Funk was one of the architects of ghetto house, a style that sped up house music's beats and added rapid vocals and explicit lyrics. The sound emerged at the city's basement parties and spread worldwide in the 1990s.

His releases on the Dance Mania label, including Work Dat Body, Run and Pump It, became reference points for DJs and producers. The raw energy of those tracks influenced techno, electro and pop artists, including Daft Punk.

Chicago's scene and artists across generations paid tribute on social media. DJ Funk had continued to perform and produce in the years before his death.