Photo Credit: Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan co-founder Oliver ‘Power’ Grant passed away last week at the age of 52 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Oliver “Power” Grant, executive producer and co-founder of the Wu-Tang Clan, passed away last week after a “courageous and hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer.” He was 52. His family and the Wu-Tang Clan confirmed the news in a joint statement.
“A true fighter until the end, he was surrounded by his mother, his children, his family, and his closest friends,” their statement read. “[Power] was a proud product of the Park Hill neighborhood [in Staten Island]. From those streets, he rose to become a visionary force, a pillar of the Wu-Tang family, and a global architect of culture.”
“It was the honor of his life to pour his love, wisdom, and brilliance into his family and his community. His impact was singular; there will never be another to take his place,” the statement continued. “The Grant and Wu-Tang families are profoundly thankful for the overwhelming outpouring of love and support from around the world. As we navigate this period of deep mourning, we kindly ask for continued respect and privacy for the family.”
Born on November 24, 1973, Grant was raised in the Park Hill neighborhood of Staten Island, New York, alongside his fellow and future members of the Wu-Tang Clan. Grant wasn’t a performing member of the group, but he played an integral role in the Wu-Tang Clan’s unmatched impact on music and popular culture.
“Two things that make you do good: either you’re inspired, or you’re desperate,” said Grant in an interview clip that Wu-Tang shared on social media. “Everybody was hustling. […] Our main money maker was the music, then the touring, then the brand.”
In 1992, he helped with the financing necessary for the group to drop their first single, “Protect Ya Neck.” He was also the executive producer on their debut LP, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), the following year.
Grant also founded their highly successful clothing line, Wu-Wear, which was discontinued in 2008 after numerous issues with counterfeiters online. In 2017, Grant and Wu-Tang frontman RZA teamed up with Live Nation to launch a new version of the classic clothing line.
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