Wu-Tang Clan co-founder Oliver “Power” Grant’s cause of death has been revealed.
Taking to Instagram on Sunday, March 1, Grant’s family and the Wu-Tang Clan shared a joint statement saying Grant passed due to pancreatic cancer.
“A true fighter until the end, he was surrounded by his mother, his children, his family, and his closest friends,” the statement began. “Born November 24, 1970, in Staten Island, New York, the man the world knew as ‘Power’ — and his oldest friends knew as ‘Pookie’ — was a proud product of the Park Hill neighborhood.”
“From those streets, he rose to become a visionary force, a pillar of the Wu-Tang family and a global architect of culture,” the statement continued. “ 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 also confirmed Grant’s forthcoming memorial service.
“The wake will be on March 13, 2026, and the funeral will be on March 14, 2026, in the New York City area. We will release exact location details closer to the service dates as we finalize securing the venues,” the post stated.
On Monday, February 23, Grant passed away. Although he never rapped, Grant was instrumental in Wu-Tang’s meteoric rise in the 1990s. Born in Jamaica and raised in New York, he helped to construct the vision of the group along with RZA and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard.
GRANT HELPED TO ESTABLISH THE WU-TANG CLAN AS A BRAND
When they released their 1993 debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Grant “helped secure studio access and financial backing. “He also helped the group members secure solo deals, which was unheard of at the time.
Grant also founded Wu Wear, which was one of the artist-owned streetwear brands in hip-hop. With retail locations in New York and Los Angeles, Wu Wear rapidly became a global phenomenon, generating millions of dollars.
As an actor, he made his debut as “Knowledge” in Hype Williams’ 1998 urban cult classic, Belly. He also starred as “Rich Bower” in the 1999 drama Black and White, alongside Robert Downey Jr. and Ben Stiller. Grant also served as an associate producer on the film.
His other film credits include When I Will Be Loved (where he was also a composer), Coalition, An Imperfect Murder, and he was portrayed as “Big Kev” in the unreleased Wendy Williams biopic Queen of Media.
