For people who love Rhythm and Blues (R&B), Jesse Powell remains one of the best R&B singers the 90s has produced. The talented musician is popularly known for his hit song You, which ranked #2 on the R&B chart and #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Even though he had quite a short musical career, Powell made a significant impact in the musical industry. He lived a quiet life and avoided social media while alive, except for platforms like his Youtube page, where he shared his songs.
However, despite not being a social media person, there have been and still are speculations about his sexuality. Many believe the late R&B superstar was gay before he died.
Well, this and more are what we will clarify in this article. But first, let us learn more about Jesse Powell’s early life, musical career, and accomplishments. So read on.
Jesse Powell’s Early Life And Career
Jesse Powell was born on September 12, 1971, in Gary, Indiana, United States. He grew up in Gary, Indiana, with his three siblings, Jacob Powell and the well-known R&B duo Trina & Tamara Powell.
Powell also got his early education in Gary, Indiana. He then attended Hampton University for his higher education.
His passion for music started at an early age. As a teenager, he was already an active member of his church music as a singer.
Coming from a family that loved music also contributed significantly to the success of his musical career as he performed with them in local talent shows. In 1993, the talented singer moved to Los Angeles to pursue his musical career.
While in Los Angeles, Powell started performing at various talent contests. Luckily for Powell, his life changed when Louil Silas Jr. discovered him while performing at one of these talent shows.
His discovery as a talented musician by the late American record executive and producer Louil Silas Jr. was when his career as a musician officially started. The late American record executive and producer signed him into his record label, Silas Records.
Musical Achievements
Three years after joining Silas Records, the record label released his debut album Jesse Powell on March 12, 1996. His self-titled album was a success.
It ranked #32 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and #35 on the Billboard R&B. Following the release of the Jesse Powell album, Powell also worked on his second studio album titled ‘Bout It, released on September 8, 1998.
Also released under Silas Records, ‘Bout It was the first Powell’s studio album to chart on the US Billboard 200, ranking #63.
Following over 600,000 copies sales of the album, it was certified gold on June 8, 1999, by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His popular hit song, You from the album ‘Bout It became the only Powell song on US Billboard Hot 100, ranking #10 in 1999.
On March 27, 2001, Powell’s third studio Album, JP was released, ranking #18 on the R&B chart and #71 on the US Billboard 200. The third album was released under Silas Records and MCA Records (after Silas Records merged with MCA Records).
In 2012, the Indiana-born singer left Silas and MCA Records and joined Riviera Records. Under Riviera Records, Powell’s fourth and last album as a singer was released.
His last studio album ‘Jesse’ was released on October 14, 2003. The same year after his fourth album release, Powell called it quits as a musician.
After his retirement as a singer, he formed and worked in a television production company in collaboration with his sisters, Trina and Tamera, until his death.
The Death Of Jesse Powell
Jesse Powell died on September 13, 2022, a day after his 51st birthday. His sisters, Trina and Tamara, announced his death on their Instagram pages.
In one of their Instagram posts, his sister Tamara shared a picture of Powell which says:
“Jesse Powell has passed away at the age of 51” with the caption “Brother…#jessepowell @youknowigotsoul.”
According to another Instagram post shared by Tamara on behalf of the Powell family:
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our beloved son, brother, and uncle Jesse Powell. He passed away peacefully at his Los Angeles home.”
“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. We want you all to know that you meant the world to him.”
From the posts, his family did not reveal the cause of his death. The cause of Powell’s death is still unknown to the public today.
The Rumor About Jesse Powell Being Gay
As celebrities, it is common for the public to pry into their private lives and make speculations about them. Well, it is one of those prices they pay for being so famous.
Powell is not an exception. Before and even after his death, there has been speculation about his sexuality.
Many believe the talented R&B singer was gay. Most people have this speculation about him because he never got married or had a child while alive.
For celebrities, it is common to see them show off their girlfriends or have gossip blogs post their girlfriends. But this was not the case for Powell.
Despite being a well-known singer, Powell never showed off anyone as his girlfriend while alive. There were also no reports of him dating any girl while he was alive.
So Is Jesse Powell Gay?
Jesse Powell has always been a private person. He never shared anything aside from his music online.
Even though he has never talked about his sexuality for once, it does not mean he is not straight. Additionally, the fact that he has never told the public that he is gay means he is not into men.
Jesse Powell Wife
At the time of his death in 2022, Jesse Powell was not married. He was never married and there are no records showing that he dated anyone.
Jesse Powell Net Worth
Jesse Powell had an estimated net worth of $2 million as at the time of his death. The R&B star died in 2022 at the age of 51.
Conclusion
Jesse Powell was such a calm and peaceful person while he was alive. The fact he was not a social media person and never shared info about his private life with the public does not mean rumors about him are true. Also, as long as he did not openly say he was gay while alive, the gay speculation about Powell remains false.
Nevertheless, Jesse Powell really left a lasting imprint in the hearts of many who love music, especially R&B fans. His music will forever be remembered by many.
