The family of Wu-Tang Clan founding member Oliver “Power” Grant has revealed the late musician’s cause of death.
In a joint statement first shared with Rolling Stone on Sunday, March 1, the family and hip-hop group confirmed that Grant died following “a courageous and hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer.”
Grant, who cofounded the New York City collective and executive produced its albums, died at age 52 on Tuesday, February 24.
Sunday’s statement was later shared via Instagram in full by the group, which was cofounded in Staten Island in the early 1990s by RZA (real name Robert Diggs).
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“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.”
The post continued, “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 then acknowledged the “outpouring of love and support” the group received after news of Grant’s death broke one day after his death. “Power will always be loved, and his legacy will forever remain,” it read.
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The group then confirmed details of a funeral service and wake to celebrate the life of Grant. “The wake will be March 13, 2026, and the funeral will be 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.
A photo of Grant was also featured in the post, accompanied by the text: “In Loving Memory: Oliver ‘Power’ Grant.”
While Grant was renowned for his achievements in the world of music, his talents also extended to acting. He appeared in 1998’s Belly, 1999’s Black and White and 2004’s Coalition.
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As for the mark he made through Wu-Tang Clan, Grant worked on the group’s 1993 debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), which is widely regarded as one of the best hip-hop albums ever created. (Rolling Stone awarded it No. 27 on its top 500 “Greatest Albums of All Time” list in 2000.)
In the wake of Grant’s death, Method Man (real name Clifford Smith Jr.), paid tribute to his former colleague via his own Instagram account. “Paradise my brother, safe travels … I am not ok,” he wrote.
GZA (real name Gary Eldridge Grice) also posted, “We couldn’t have done it without him. Wu wouldn’t have come to fruition without Power. His passing is a profound loss to us all. My deepest condolences to the fam.”
