Wu-Tang's Oliver Grant Dies
The hip-hop world is mourning Oliver 'Power' Grant's death, founding member and key executive behind Wu-Tang Clan who passed after a battle with cancer. Grant was instrumental in launching the group's Wu Wear apparel line and producing their iconic albums. His death comes just days after the group's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nomination.
Oliver "Power" Grant was a day-one financial backer for the Wu-Tang Clan, providing crucial early investment that helped fund the group's debut single, "Protect Ya Neck," and their seminal 1993 album, *Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)*, on which he served as an executive producer. Growing up in Staten Island's Park Hill projects, he was a childhood friend of RZA's older brother, Divine, and became a key architect of the group's business empire. Grant's pioneering vision was most evident in the 1995 launch of Wu Wear, one of the first clothing lines created by a musical artist. He started by selling clothes with the group's logo via mail order before expanding into major department stores like Macy's and opening four dedicated Wu Wear stores across the country. At its peak, the brand was generating upwards of $25 million in annual revenue. While not a performer, Grant's influence shaped the group's multimedia ventures. In 1999, he produced the PlayStation fighting video game *Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style*, which featured characters based on the members' personas. He also ventured into acting, appearing in the 1998 film *Belly* and the 1999 drama *Black and White*. The Wu-Tang Clan's nomination for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 marks their first appearance on the ballot. The nomination recognizes the group for their groundbreaking sound and lasting cultural impact, which Grant was instrumental in building. The inductees are expected to be announced in April.
