Jewell Caples, Death Row Records ‘First Lady,’ Dead at 54

Jewell, an R&B singer known as the First Lady of Death Row Records, has reportedly passed away. According to Reggie Wright Jr. of the infamous record label, she died at 5 a.m. on Friday, May 6. The reported death comes nearly two months after she revealed she’d been hospitalized with eight pounds of fluid on her heart, lungs and legs. Her official cause of death has yet to be revealed.

In an Instagram post she shared from the hospital on March 21, 2022, the singer gave an update on her condition. “Attention All Non-Believers I was Hospitalized on March 2, 2022 – Released on a March 5,2022 went home, 8lbs of fluid on my heart, lungs, and legs! Went back to the hospital March 16th until Today March 21, 2022. I Almost Died! Was supposed to be Airlifted to another facility. GOD reverse my symptoms extended me some GRACE! And gave me more time with my Family and Friends! Thank you JESUS for saving my life again! GOD IS REAL!” she captioned the post. 

She’d continued posting updates of her condition and appeared to be in good health until her death. She shared photos of herself at church, reflected on family times, and also posted uplifting messages for her followers. 

Jewell was signed to Death Row until 1996, the same year of Tupac Shakur’s death. According to her, she warned Shakur to not get involved with the label and crew. She appeared on several tracks alongside the label’s biggest stars including Dr. Dre, Tha Dogg Pound, N.W.A and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. After leaving Ruthless Records with Dr. Dre following his fallout with Eazy E, her time with Death Row Records began.  She also had a solo track featured on Deep Cover soundtrack, as well as “Let Me Ride” and “B*tches Ain’t Sh*t” from Dr. Dre’s classic, The Chronic.

In an interview with The Art Of Dialogue she said she’d mostly been “seen but not heard,” throughout her career, especially in a hip hop crew full of men. She claimed it was due to her image. “I was never seen, but my voice was heard,” she said. “I was a juicy girl, and they wanted a slim-jim. So you never really saw me in any videos.” 

She says things changed after she was sentenced to three months in prison for an attempted murder charge. She lost weight during that time. “I was a skinny girl when I came out, so they put me in the ‘What Would You Do?’ video,” she said. “I was never upset with the process, but I was mad that my album really never came out.”

Several condolences poured in, including from Daz Dillinger. In an Instagram post alongside a photo of them both together, Daz wrote: “RIP REST N PEACE. I’M SAD THIS REALLY HURT BUT JEWELLZ PASSED THIS MORNING.