Power was “a visionary force, a pillar of the Wu-Tang family, and a global architect of culture” the group said in a statement
Oliver “Power” Grant, the Wu-Tang Clan‘s executive producer since its founding, died at the age of 52 following “a courageous and hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer,” Grant’s family and the Wu-Tang Clan said in a joint statement to Rolling Stone.
“A true fighter until the end, he was surrounded by his mother, his children, his family, and his closest friends,” read the tribute, which praised Grant as a “proud product of the Park Hill neighborhood.” Grant was raised in the Park Hill projects of Staten Island, New York, alongside the future members of the Wu-Tang Clan. “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.”
“Power will always be loved, and his legacy will forever remain,” his family and the Wu-Tang Clan continued before sharing a quote: “Greatness is not what you have, but what you give.”
Although Grant wasn’t a performing member of the group, he played a pivotal role in the collective’s indelible impact in music and popular culture. In 1992, Grant helped garner the necessary financing to deliver their first single, “Protect Ya Neck.” He also served as the executive producer on their seminal debut LP, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), in 1993, and founded their massively successful artist-driven clothing empire, Wu Wear.
“Two things that make you do good. Either you’re inspired, or you’re desperate,” Grant said in the interview clip shared by Wu-Tang on social media. “Everybody was hustling. … Our main money maker was the music, then the touring, then the brand.”