Oliver “Power” Grant, co-founder and key architect of the hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan and the driving force behind its Wu Wear clothing line, died on Monday. He was 52.
“Rest in power, Power,” Wu-Tang Clan posted on social media, confirming his death. They did not disclose the cause of death.
Tributes came in from members of the Wu-Tang Clan who credited him with shaping the group’s early direction and long-term vision.
Clifford “Method Man” Smith shared a photo with Grant on Instagram, writing: “Paradise my brother safe travels! I am not ok.”
“Wu wouldn’t have come to fruition without Power,” GZA wrote. Raekwon said: “POWER we been everywhere…now you everywhere!”
Born in Jamaica in 1973 and raised in the Park Hills Projects of Staten Island, Grant grew up with a tight-knit circle of friends that would go on to form Wu-Tang Clan.
He was instrumental in helping them find funding for their first single “Protect Ya Neck”, and then served as executive producer on their debut LP Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) at a time when the group was unsigned and operating independently.
As the group's influence grew, Grant pushed to expand the collective beyond music. In 1995, he launched Wu Wear, one of hip-hop’s first large-scale artist-owned fashion labels. The label, built around the now-iconic “W” logo, became a retail success, reportedly generating $25m annually at its peak.
Grant described the move into fashion as both necessity and instinct. “Initially, when we started doing the music, my interests just came from trying to figure out a way to diversify what we was doing, based on the fact that you know, I wasn't a rapper or a producer or anything like that,” he told Complex in 2011.
“At the end of the day, it was just something I made for us, for them to project to the people.”
Grant also helped extend the Wu-Tang enterprise into interactive media. He was involved in the development and release of the 1999 PlayStation game Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style, which blended fighting-game mechanics with the group’s mythology and music.
He pursued acting alongside his business work. He made his screen debut in the 1998 crime drama Belly, directed by Hype Williams, and appeared the following year in James Toback’s Black and White, which featured several Wu-Tang members as well as Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr, Brooke Shields, Elijah Wood, and Mike Tyson.
His later film credits included When Will I Be Loved and Coalition, both released in 2004. In 2011, he portrayed the husband of television host Wendy Williams in the biographical film Queen of Media, which starred Robin Givens in the lead role.
Grant’s death came as Wu-Tang Clan were nominated for induction into the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Tributes also poured in from across the music industry. DJ Premier described Grant as a “pioneer for the culture”.
God bless the God. Rest in Peace Power. Truly a Good Man https://t.co/CRm5537UpL
— Killer Mike (@KillerMike) February 24, 2026
Loud Records founder Steven J Rifkind, who signed Wu-Tang Clan in the 1990s, looked back at their time together, writing: “We met in May of 1993 and have been brothers since. The laughs, the cries. We travelled the world together. Strongest handshake and hug anybody can give. I’m at a loss of words. Keep on looking over us the way you always looked out for all of us when you were here.”
Rapper Cam’ron shared a photo with Power, writing: “Damn, man!! Thank you for everything, legend.”
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