Oliver "Power" Grant, one of the founding members of the iconic hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan, has died at the age of 52. The heartbreaking news was confirmed by fellow Method Man in an emotional tribute on Instagram on Tuesday. "Paradise my Brother safe Travels!!" Method Man, 54, wrote alongside a photo of the pair.
Grant's sudden and unexpected death was also shared on Instagram by the hip-hop outlet Okayplayer. Grant died on February 23, though no details about the cause of death have been revealed. "A driving force behind one of hip-hop's most influential movements, Power helped build a global legacy rooted in independence, ownership and culture," Okayplayer's post began.
Gone too Soon
"His belief in creative control and community empowerment helped shape not only a group, but a dynasty that changed music forever. His impact will live on through the culture he helped elevate and the countless lives he inspired," the site added.
Born in Jamaica on November 3, 1973, Grant later relocated to New York City, growing up in Staten Island alongside future members of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan. His circle included RZA, Ghostface Killah, Method Man, Raekwon, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and Cappadonna.
Behind the scenes, Grant played a crucial role in shaping the group's legacy. He went on to executive produce every album released by the iconic rap collective and later helped expand the brand beyond music by creating the hugely popular Wu Wear fashion line.
"My crew had plenty of skeptics, doubters, and non-believers," Grant said in 2011 regarding the Wu Wear clothing line and how it helped solidify the Wu-Tang brand.
"It wasn't anything personal, but I'd say that everyone is an individual and they didn't really understand what I was doing or what I was initially trying to get across, or where I was coming from," he added at the time.
Beyond his work with Wu-Tang Clan—which spanned from the group's founding in 1992 until his passing—Grant also stepped in front of the camera. He appeared as an actor in the 1998 film Belly, starring alongside Method Man, and followed it up with a role in Black and White the next year.
Star in His Own Right
Following the news of his death, tributes poured in from across the Wu-Tang family, including heartfelt messages from RZA, GZA, and Raekwon, honoring Grant's lasting impact on the group and hip-hop culture as a whole.
"We couldn't have done it without him," GZA, 59, wrote on Instagram Tuesday alongside four photos of Grant. "Wu wouldn't have come to fruition without Power. His passing is a profound loss to us all. My deepest condolences to the fam."
"POWER we been everywhere ... Now you everywhere!" Raekwon, 56, added in his own post alongside a pic of Grant and Wu-Tang. "The most high is merciful. I love you."
Grant, who played a key role in shaping the success of Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) in 1993, once reflected on the group's formative days in an interview with Passion of the Weiss. "Everything that we learned was hard-knock life, you figure it out as you go along, and take cues from those that are actively doing things," he told the outlet in 2011. "A lot of it was trial and error."
