Jewell Caples was an R&B singer known as “The First Lady of Death Row Records.”
She featured on several famous Death Row Records tracks, including those by Snoop Dogg and 2Pac. She passed away on May 6th 2022, at the age of 53. She had a net worth of approximately $3 million.
| Name | Jewel Lynn Caples (Jewell Caples) |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth: | June 12th, 1968 (53 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Chicago, Illinois |
| Height: | 5 feet 6 inches (1.67 meters) |
| Profession: | R&B Singer |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Children: | 3 |
| Parents: | Gerald Dickerson (father), Eula Caples (mother) |
| Net Worth Estimate: | $3 million |
Net Worth
It is unclear what Caples’s exact net worth was when she passed away. However, it is speculated to be around $3 million.
Caples’s net worth came primarily from her work as an R&B singer. She featured vocals on several multi-platinum records, including The Chronic by Dr Dre, All Eyez On Me by 2Pac, and No Limit Top Dogg by Snoop Dogg.
She also released solo material, the most famous of which was a cover of Woman to Woman by Shirley Brown. The song peaked at 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 while also charting at 16 on the Billboard Hot R&B charts.
However, Caples did not get production credits on any of her music, nor any royalty payments. (1)
Company
Caples did not form her own company. However, she did work as a freelance music artist from 2016 onwards. It is unknown how much money she made during this time.
Earnings
Caples worked as a singer-songwriter with Death Row Records from January 1992 to December 2001. Caples stated that during her time at Death Row Records, she was paid $2500 as a monthly salary, which is approximately $5126 when adjusted for inflation.
Additionally, Caples was paid $50,000 for her work on the soundtrack for Above the Rim. For the Murder Was the Case soundtrack, Death Row Records paid Caples $50,000 also.
However, Caples has stated that she did not get publishing credits for her music and did not receive any royalties. Caples stated this was because of her ‘temper tantrums’ in the studio, where she would destroy several items worth around $250,000 a piece. (2)
It is unknown what work Caples did between 2001 and 2011. However, in 2011, she released the Black Diamond album through Death Row Records and WIDEawake Entertainment.
Caples also released a memoir titled My Blood, My Sweat, and My Tears in 2011.
Caples released a soundtrack accompanying the book, although the sales for each of these are unknown. (3)
In July 2013, Caples worked as a singer-songwriter for Hip Ent Honor Integrity & Power. Additionally, Caples also handled song production with this company. (4) Caples worked part-time for IV Life Records, although she was unsigned. (5)
Caples appeared as herself in several documentary series. One of these was the 2017 mini-series Who Killed Tupac?
It is unknown how much she was paid for this appearance, although the show aired on the A+E networks in America. So, Caples’s payment was likely substantial. (6)
Caples also worked as an unsigned solo sin6ger-songwriter until 2016.
She then retired from professional performances due to her worsening health. It is unknown how much she was paid for this position.
However, Caples required health treatment that cost $29,886. She was unable to cover this herself, so it is evident that her salary was significantly lower than before. (7)
Before her death, Caples released a second album, Love + Pain = Muzik. The album was released through the label “So, Let’s Talk.”
As the album was likely a solo release, it is possible that this label simply handled licensing, meaning most royalties went to Jewell herself. It is unclear how much money she made from this release. (8)
Real Estate
In the late 1990s, Caples lived in a townhouse in Los Angeles, California. She was evicted from this place due to unpaid rent. (9)
After leaving Death Row Records, Caples moved to Austin, Texas, for several years. Her exact address was unknown. (10) Later, Caples moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she remained until passing away. (11)
Other Assets
Caples owned a few items of expensive jewellery before her death. One of these was a vintage Raymond Weil watch and a five-carat tennis bracelet.
Early Life
Caples was born in Chicago, Illinois on June 12th, 1968. Her father, Gerald Dickerson, and her mother, Eula Caples, were mechanics.
Caples also had three sisters, named DeAnna, Leslie, and Asia, and a brother named Gerald. Caples was a keen singer as a child and listened to artists such as Ray Charles, Smokey Robinson, and the Supremes.
When Caples turned 5, her mother became a devout Christian, leading to Caples listening to various religious music. This included Aretha Franklin, Shirley Caesar, and Mahalia Jackson.
Caples then began signing as part of the choir at Free Holiness Church. She then became the lead singer before her mother and father divorced.
When this happened, the family moved to Los Angeles. Caples continued singing here, joining the school choir and sharing recordings of her singing “Come to Jesus.” (12)
Career
In 1988, Caples began formally singing in recording studios. This eventually led to her joining Death Row Records in 1992. She chose her stage name ‘Jewell’ while working here. (13)
Caples’s first official music release was as a feature on the track ‘For the Love of Money’ from Yomo & Maulkie’s album Are U Experienced?
The record was released in 1991. The next year, Dr Dre released The Chronic, which featured Caples on the track ‘Let Me Ride’ with Snoop Dogg.
The album was a critical and commercial hit, widely considered by many to be one of the decade’s greatest records. Billboard later certified this album 3-times platinum. It entered the Library of Congress because it was “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Caples released her first solo song, ‘Love or Lust’, in the same year. The song featured on the soundtrack Deep Cover, which hit 166 on the Billboard 200.
In 1994, Caples featured on ‘Foe tha Love of $’ by Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, which sampled the 1991 track. Caples released her highest charting song, ‘Woman to Woman’, this same year.
This was on the soundtrack Murder Was the Case, along with another song, Harvest for the World. ‘Woman to Woman’ peaked at 74 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Caples also appeared on the soundtrack Above the Rim with the songs ‘Gonna Give It to Ya’ with Aaron Hall and ‘It’s Not Deep Enough.’
In 1996, Caples appeared on 2Pac’s record All Eyez on Me on the track ‘Thug Passion.’ The next year, she featured on the album Gridlock’d by O.F.T.B. on the song ‘Body and Soul.’ (14)
During this time, Caples was working on releasing a solo album. Despite repeated promises from the CEO of Death Row that he would release the album, it never came to fruition. Caples stated she believed this was because the CEO became too focused on other artists instead. (15)
In 1999, Caples released the song ‘Movin’ On’ before leaving Death Row Records in 2001. Caples did not release any music again until 2011.
In 2011, Caples released her memoir titled My Blood, My Sweat, and My Tears with an accompanying soundtrack. This memoir detailed her rise to fame and the reasons for leaving Death Row. In this same year, Caples released her first record, titled Black Diamond.
Caples then continued to work as a solo artist until 2016, when her health began to decline. As a result, she retired from performing professionally. Caples released her final record, Love + Pain = Muzik, a few months before her death. (16)
Career Highlights
- In 1992, began working with Death Row Records
- In 1992, featured on Dr Dre’s critically acclaimed record The Chronic
- In 1992, featured on the Deep Cover soundtrack
- In 1994, released her first solo song
- In 1994, featured on Above the Case
- In 2001, left Death Row Records
- In 2011, released her first album, memoir, and soundtrack
- In 2022, released her final album
Personal Life
Caples was married to Michael Caples. It is unknown where the pair met, but the two had been together for several years.
They divorced in 2016 for unknown reasons and have three children, Ja-Mell Payton, Joe’l, and Ja-Waun Curtis. Caples also had three grandchildren: Jaclyn, Jason, and Joe’l Junior.
In 2016, doctors diagnosed Caples with interstitial lung disease, giving her a life expectancy of no more than four years. As a result, Caples vowed to spend more time with her family before the inevitable happened.
In February 2021, Caples was rushed to the hospital, where the doctors diagnosed her with a build-up of fluid in her lungs and pneumonia. Doctors inserted a valve, which later began to fail.
Caples required a stint in her lungs but refused to get one fitted until she had put her affairs in order. Eventually, Caples’s mother managed to get together enough money to cover the medical bills, and the stint was fitted.
In May 2022, doctors took Caples to the hospital after her kidneys began failing. She stayed in the hospital for a few days and made final arrangements. Caples passed away on May 6th, 2022 (17).
Jewell Caples, “The First Lady of Death Row Records,” Dead At 53 https://t.co/3WiCXy4R44
— MSN (@MSN) May 6, 2022
Interesting Facts
- In 2021, a rumour emerged that Caples had slept with one of her co-stars at Death Row Records, Danny Boy. At the time, Danny was supposedly 16 or 17, leading some individuals to brand Caples as a pedophile with the nickname ‘Jewell Kelly.’ However, Caples denied the entire incident and said they had slept together when he was of legal age.
- Caples was a keen singer from a young age. During 5th grade, one of her teachers gave Caples’s parents a note that said, “One day, I may have to pay hundreds of dollars to hear Jewel sing, but for now, could you please convince her to stop bursting out singing in class.”
Summary
Jewell Caples was an R&B singer known to feature on many Death Row Records songs in the 1990s. She appeared on tracks by many notable artists like Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre. Caples passed away in June 2022. She had a net worth of approximately $3 million when she died.