She was once dubbed 'The First Lady of Death Row Records.'
Jewell Caples, once dubbed "The First Lady of Death Row Records," has died, ET can confirm. She was 53.
In a statement to ET, Caples' manager, Timothy Beal, said, "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. We shared many many spiritual conversations. She had transformed her life from hardcore gangsta rap to faith-based gospel singer and songwriter."
The statement continued, "We have been working diligently on her comeback, we wish we could have seen her make her big comeback. I will personally miss her a great deal. Goodbye to a great great friend and a very loving woman ... RIP to her, gone but not forgotten. Her spirit will live on through her music for generations to come. Rest In Peace and Power."
The cause of death is not known at this time. Vibe, which first broke the news, reported that Caples died Friday at around 5 a.m. The news comes just a couple of months after Caples was hospitalized with a heart condition.
Caples earned fame after appearing in Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and Tupac's most iconic albums -- The Chronic, Doggystyle and All Eyez on Me, respectively. Prior to that, she contributed vocals for gangsta rap pioneers N.W.A. Caples would go on to have her own solo career after signing with Death Row Records in 1992. She's best known for covering Shirley Brown's "Woman to Woman," which peaked at No. 72 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 16 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hop-Hop songs chart.
Her "Woman to Woman" music video also featured budding actress Regina King. Caples would go on to appear on the Deep Cover and Above the Rim soundtracks.
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