R&B singer and Grammy-nominated musician Jesse Powell passed away Tuesday at age 51 in his Los Angeles home, his siblings announced.
On Tuesday night, Jesse's sisters — recording artists Trina Powell and Tamara Powell — both shared a message on social media announcing their older brother's death.
"It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother and uncle Jesse Powell. He passed away peacefully in his Los Angeles home," reads Tamara's Instagram post. "The family asks for privacy at this time as we mourn this tremendous loss and celebrate his everlasting legacy. Jesse loved music and he especially loved his fans who supported him throughout his career."
Born in Gary Indiana, Powell was best known for his hit "You" which peaked at No. 2 R&B and No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Powell released four albums, and was the older brother of fellow contemporary R&B singers Trina & Tamara. Powell was credited with a four octave vocal range and was considered by many to be the vocal standard of 90's R&B. He was also a Grammy nominee.
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Powell's second album 'Bout It was released on September 8, 1998, topping the Heatseekers chart. The album's second single. "You", was released in February 1999 and peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart and #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The record was certified gold by the RIAA,[citation needed] peaking at #15 on R&B and #63 on the Billboard 200.
"You" proved the most popular song of Jesse's career, carrying nearly 13 million lifetime Spotify streams.
While the official cause of death hasn't been announced, initial reports say that he died of cardiac arrest.
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What Is Cardiac Arrest?
Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops pumping. If this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other vital organs. Cardiac arrests are caused by certain types of arrhythmias that prevent the heart from pumping blood.
Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. Nine out of 10 people who have a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital die — often within minutes.
A person may be having a cardiac arrest if they:
- Collapse suddenly and lose consciousness (pass out)
- Are not breathing or their breathing is ineffective or they are gasping for air
- Do not respond to shouting or shaking
- Do not have a pulse
Important risk factors include prior cardiac arrest, coronary heart disease, heart valve disease, congenital heart defects, and arrhythmias caused by faulty genes. However, half of cardiac arrests happen to people who did not know they had a heart problem.
Cardiac arrest causes about 300,000 to 450,000 deaths in the United States each year and causes about half of the deaths linked with heart attack and stroke.
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart malfunctions and suddenly stops beating unexpectedly. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of your brain is interrupted or reduced, depriving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients.
Signs of Cardiac Arrest
Signs of Cardiac Arrest are:
Sudden loss of responsiveness – The person doesn’t respond, even if you tap them hard on the shoulders or ask loudly if they're OK. The person doesn’t move, speak, blink or otherwise react.
No normal breathing – The person isn’t breathing or is only gasping for air.
Tamara went on to share a second Instagram video early Wednesday of Jesse performing his popular song "You."
"That voice!" Tamara wrote in the caption. "Aside from being one of the best R&B male vocalists out there, you were the best big brother ever. I loved you so much."
"I'm thankful that we were so close; a whole mess all the time. 😅🍃💨," she added. "We absolutely adored you "Jet" & our family will not be the same without you."
