R&B singer Jewell, known as the First Lady of Death Row Records, died on May 6 at the age of 53. 

Born Jewell Caples, she was a featured singer on albums by Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre during the ’90s, the heyday of Death Row Records. It has been reported she was hospitalized with a heart condition earlier this year but an official cause of death has yet to be confirmed.

The former head of Death Row security, Reggie Wright Jr., broke the news of Caples’ passing on social media, Vibe reported.

Caples’ manager, Timothy Beal, confirmed the death of the late R&B singer in a statement to Entertainment Tonight, XXL reported.

“Jewell was a very special woman with a big heart. She had been a guest at my wedding back on February 12th of this year,” reads the statement. “We shared many many spiritual conversations. She had transformed her life from hardcore gangsta rap to faith-based gospel singer and songwriter.”

Two months ago, Caples confirmed on Instagram she’d been hospitalized and was found to have eight pounds of fluid in her heart, lungs, and legs. She was readmitted to the hospital on March 16 and released on March 21 after receiving treatment.            

“I was Hospitalized on March 2, 2022. Released on a March 5, 2022, went home, 8lbs of fluid on my heart, lungs, and legs,” Caples wrote on Instagram. “Went back to 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!”

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Caples, who hailed from Chicago, moved to Los Angeles, where she contributed vocals to tracks by N.W.A. before inking a deal with Death Row Records in 1992. She sang on albums by Dr. Dre (“The Chronic”) and Snoop Dogg (“Doggystyle”). She was also on the film soundtracks “Deep Cover” and “Above the Rim,” and on 2Pac’s “All Eyez on Me” album on the track “Thug Passion” prior to his death.

Jewell had a premonition of Tupac’s death in a dream and begged him not to go to Las Vegas. She talked about it in an interview with HipHopDX: “I was actually recording in the studio, but I was supposed to go [to Las Vegas]. And, Tupac and Suge called me at the studio … he was supposed to do a song that I had called ‘Money, Sex and Weed.’ So [the concept] was [having those] three wishes …. And he was supposed to come and do the song before he went to Vegas …

“Pac was like, ‘Jeweeeeeell.’ I was like, ‘What’s up.’ He was like, ‘I got you baby girl, don’t worry. I’ma be there.’ And I’m like, ‘OK, so you’re on your way?’ And he was like, ‘Uh … no. We’re gonna go to Vegas first.’

“And so, I began to talk about my dream. And I begged him not to go. I begged him. I was in tears … what happened in my dream was very close to what happened in the incident. And, I began to tell ‘Pac, ‘If you do it, you’re not coming back. If you go to Vegas, you’re not coming back. Please don’t go.’ So, he like, ‘Aw, Suge, Jewell trippin’.” 

Perhaps the biggest solo hit of Jewell’s career was her cover of Shirley Brown’s “Woman to Woman,” which peaked at No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart.

Caples co-wrote and self-published her memoir, “My Blood My Sweat My Tears.” 

Photo from Instagram @iamjewellcaples