Craig “muMs” Grant, known for his role of Arnold “Poet” Jackson on HBO’s Oz, has died. He was 52.
The actor and writer died on Wednesday, a representative for Grant tells PEOPLE in a statement.
“We are heartbroken over the loss of one of the most genuine, caring, loving souls we have ever had the pleasure of representing,” the statement reads. “muMs was more than our client, he was our dear friend. We all just lost a phenomenal man.”
According to his rep, Grant was filming a recurring role on Starz’ Hightown in Wilmington, North Carolina, at the time of his death and was scheduled to travel to Atlanta to finish to wrap on a recurring arc on the BET+ series All the Queen’s Men.
A cause of death has not been determined.
Born and raised in New York City, Grant started his career as a part of the critically acclaimed Nuyorican Poetry Slam Team.
He went on to become an active member of the LAByrinth Theater Company alongside the late Philip Seymour Hoffman, who once said that his writing was “Shakespearean” in its complexity and richness.
While working with LAByrinth, Grant staged an autobiographical one-man show titled A Sucker Emcee, which featured hip-hop and slam poetry based on his personal upbringing.
On television, Grant worked on a myriad of shows including Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It, Chapelle’s Show, The Sopranos, Luke Cage, Nurse Jackie and High Maintenance.
He appeared on all six seasons of Oz as Poet, a heroin addict imprisoned for armed robbery and attempted murder.
In addition to TV, Grant’s film credits include the Safdie brothers’ Good Time, Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) and Steven Soderbergh’s Side Effects.
Grant had recently finished shooting No Sudden Moves for Soderbergh, according to his rep, and was in talks with the National Black Theatre and The Public to stage his one-man show this summer.
“The LAByrinth Theater family is deeply saddened to share the news of the unexpected loss of Craig ‘muMs’ Grant,” the theater company said in a statement. “We’ll forever miss our friend, brother, LAB member, Emcee, mentor, poet, actor, spoken-word giant, and fire-breathing teddy bear. muMs’ presence, performances, and words inspired a generation. His legacy will live on, from the Bronx and into the beyond. Keep rocking the mic, Schemer!”
