Oliver “Power” Grant’s cause of death has been revealed.
The Wu-Tang Clan executive producer died “following a courageous and hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer” according to a joint statement issued by the hip-hop collective and Grant’s family. The tribute calling the mogul “a true fighter until the end” was posted to Instagram on Sunday.
The statement confirmed that Grant, who executive produced the Wu-Tang Clan’s albums and helped drive the group’s rise to fame, died Feb. 24 at age 55.
“[T]he man the world knew as ‘Power’ — and his oldest friends knew as ‘Pookie’ — was a proud product of the Park Hill neighborhood [in Staten Island, N.Y.],” reads the family tribute. “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.”
Grant was not a performing member of the Wu-Tang Clan, which included RZA, GZA, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Method Man and others. A childhood friend of Mitchell “Divine” Diggs, the older brother of group co-founder RZA, Grant helped provide much of the initial funding for the group and later helped expand its business empire and oversaw the Wu Wear fashion line.
“We couldn’t have done it without him,” GZA wrote in his own Instagram tribute to Grant. “Wu wouldn’t have come to fruition without Power. His passing is a profound loss to us all.”
Grant’s family also said that Grant’s wake will be held March 13. His funeral will be held March 14 in New York.
“Power will always be loved, and his legacy will forever remain,” the tribute said.
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