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. Wu-Tang Clan confirmed his death on social media with the words 'Rest in power, Power,' but did not disclose the cause.
Born in Jamaica in 1973 and raised in the Park Hills Projects of Staten Island, Grant grew up with the tight-knit circle of friends that would become Wu-Tang Clan. He was instrumental in securing funding for their first single 'Protect Ya Neck' and served as executive producer on their debut LP Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) when the group was unsigned and operating independently.
As the group's influence grew, Grant pushed to expand beyond music. In 1995, he launched Wu Wear, one of hip-hop's first large-scale artist-owned fashion labels. Built around the iconic 'W' logo, it became a retail success, reportedly generating $25m annually at its peak. He also helped extend the enterprise into interactive media, working on the 1999 PlayStation game Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style.
Grant pursued acting alongside his business work, making his screen debut in the 1998 crime drama Belly and appearing in Black and White (1999) and other films. His death came as Wu-Tang Clan were nominated for induction into the 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Tributes poured in from across the music industry. Method Man wrote on Instagram: 'Paradise my brother safe travels! I am not ok.' GZA said: 'Wu wouldn't have come to fruition without Power.' Raekwon added: 'POWER we been everywhere…now you everywhere!' DJ Premier described Grant as a 'pioneer for the culture'.
