Jewell Caples passed away at the age of 54. The R&B singer was known as “The First Lady of Death Row Records.” She passed away early this morning after being in the hospital for nearly two months. She was admitted to the hospital because of issues with fluid in her heart, legs, and lungs.
Jewell was signed under Death Row Records in the mid-90s, during the height of the record label. She made songs with N.W.A., Tha Dogg Pound, and Bone Thugs-n-Harmony.
R.I.P. The First Lady
Before joining Death Row, she was signed to Ruthless Records alongside Dr. Dre. When Dre left Ruthless, she did as well. Jewell’s debut album never surfaced, but she was able to appear on songs with Snoop Dogg, 2Pac, and Nate Dogg. She can be heard on “The Chronic” by Dr. Dre, “Doggystyle,” and “Murder Was the Case” by Snoop Dogg.
Many fans went to social media to share their thoughts.
“woah man…RIP Jewell. She graced so many classic Death Row joints. A beautiful voice and underrated ingredient in West Coast hip hop. Peace to her family & loved ones.”
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Co-founder The D.O.C. praised Snoop Dogg for buying Death Row Records. He is proud of Snoop and all his accomplishments, especially this one. He claims everywhere he goes, he sees Snoop, whether it be in the grocery store, on TV, or on billboards. The D.O.C. also acknowledges Snoop’s ability to use hip hop as a tool to make a great living. He feels Snoop can use himself as an example and show the youth there are many ways through hip hop to make a great living just like him.
Snoop’s Power Moves
He pulled all of Death Row’s catalog from streaming services. On an episode of Drink Champs, Snoop explained why he did this. He said those platforms don’t pay enough, and his plan is instead to create a Death Row app where all Death Row music can be found.
“Those platforms get millions and millions and millions of streams, and nobody gets paid other than the record labels. So what I wanted to do is snatch my music off, create a platform….”
Largely known that low royalty rates are paid out by companies such as Apple Music and Spotify, Snoop wants to put the control back in the artist’s hands.
WRITTEN BY: Brandon Simmons
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