Born in Morristown, New Jersey, United States,[1] and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Persip attended West Side High School, preferring it over Newark Arts High School because he wanted to join the former's football team.

[7] After playing with Tadd Dameron in 1953,[1] he gained recognition as a jazz drummer as he toured and recorded with Dizzy Gillespie's big and small bands between 1953 and 1958.

[1] Around this time, Persip also recorded with other jazz musicians, including Lee Morgan, Melba Liston, Kenny Dorham, Zoot Sims, Red Garland, Gil Evans, Don Ellis, Eric Dolphy, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Gene Ammons and the singer Dinah Washington.

Charli Persip died August 23, 2020, at Mount Sinai Morningside in New York City at the age of 91.

[2] With Ernestine Anderson With Bob Brookmeyer With Cándido Camero With Harry Edison With Don Ellis With Art Farmer With Frank Foster With Dizzy Gillespie With Red Garland With Benny Golson With Quincy Jones With Rahsaan Roland Kirk With Hank Mobley With Lee Morgan With David "Fathead" Newman With Joe Newman With Cecil Payne With Jerome Richardson With George Russell With Sonny Stitt With Randy Weston With George Williams With others