Singer Jewell, known as ‘the First Lady of Death Row Records’, dead at 54

R&B singer-songwriter Jewell Caples, known popularly as just Jewell, died on the morning of Friday May 6, according to her former collaborator at Death Row Records, Daz Dillinger.

“RIP … Rest in Peace,” Dillinger wrote on Instagram as he posted a photo of Jewell on Friday morning.

“SAD THIS REALLY HURT BUT JEWELLZ PASSED THIS MORNING. WOW DEATHROW FOR LIFE. WE GONE MISS HER,” Dillinger added.

At the time of writing this article, no cause of death had been made public but more details are expected in the hours and days to come.

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Known as ‘the First Lady of Death Row Records, Jewell signed with the legendary label in 1992, which was founded by the likes of Dr. Dre, Suge Knight, The D.O.C., and Dick Griffey, and went on to produce multi-platinum albums by West Coast hip-hop artists, including Tupac, Dr. Dre, and Snoop Dogg. Death Row Records, at its peak, was making more than $100 million a year.

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She worked solo on the soundtrack for the movie ‘Deep Cover’ (1992), before appearing in ‘Let Me Ride’ and ‘B*tches Ain’t Sh*t’ from Dr. Dre’s 1992 album, ‘The Chronic’.

Subsequently, Jewell also featured in songs such as ‘What’s My Name’ and ‘Gin And Juice’ from the album ‘Doggystyle’ (1993), by the legendary Snoop Dogg (then known as Snoop Doggy Dogg).

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She kept working with Snoop Dogg, and by the mid-1990s, had featured in ‘Murder Was The Case’ (1995) by Snoop Dogg, and in ‘What Would You Do?’ (1995), the debut single of Death Row Records hip-hop duo Kurupt and Daz Dillinger.

Jewell’s passing marks the death of another Death Row Records artist this year: earlier in January, N.W.A. affiliate CPO Boss Hogg also died, reportedly of issues associated with cardiac health.