The Wu-Tang Clan is mourning the death of producer Oliver “Power” Grant, a part of the Staten Island hip-hop and fashion collective from the very beginning.
“Paradise my Brother save travels,” Method Man posted on Instagram Wednesday. “Bruh I am not OK.”
The 52-year-old died on Monday, according to radio station Hot 97, though a cause of death has not been reported. News of his death came the same week the Wu-Tang Clan was nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Born in Jamaica and raised on Staten Island, Grant was childhood friends with Mitchell “Divine” Diggs, the older brother of founding Wu-Tang member RZA. According to the book “Hip Hop in America,” he got in on the ground floor by making a large investment in the group’s future.
Grant went on to serve as the band’s executive producer and was a driving force behind their brand and business operations. He was also the founder and CEO of the Wu Wear clothing line.
A social media feed representing the estate of Ol’ Dirty Bastard, who died in 2004, posted a video of Grant talking about his legacy with the band.
“You will be missed among your Wu Brothers, family, friends and fans,” wrote Taniqua Jones, one of the late rapper’s daughters. “Rest easy and say peace to my father ODB.”
The Wu-Tang Clan formed in 1992 with RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Masta Killa, Inspectah Deck, U-God and ODB as its founding members. The remaining performers are currently on their farewell The Final Chamber tour, with their next show slated for Monday in Amsterdam.
Raekwon also honored his friend and colleague on social media.
“POWER we been everywhere …. now you everywhere!” he posted. “The most high is merciful love you.”
GZA thanked Grant for making the Wu-Tang Clan a reality.
“We couldn’t have done it without him,” the 59-year-old rapper wrote. “Wu wouldn’t have come to fruition without Power. His passing is a profound loss to us all. My deepest condolences to the fam.”
In addition to his longtime work with the group, Grant also occasionally appeared onscreen. He made his film debut in the 1998 crime drama “Belly,” alongside Nas, DMX, Method Man, T-Boz Watkins and others.
The following year, he produced and appeared in “Black and White,” starring a slew of A-list names like Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Claudia Schiffer, Jared Leto and Brooke Shields. Method Man and Raekwon were also in the film.
His other projects included “When Will I Be Loved,” “Coalition” and “An Imperfect Murder.”
From 2019 to 2023, he was portrayed by Marcus Callender in Hulu’s biographical drama series “Wu-Tang: An American Saga.”
Among Grant’s surviving family members is rapper Killa Sin (Jeryl Gant), a member of the Wu-Tang affiliate group Killarmy.
