From left: Irish Grinstead, Kameelah Williams and LaMisha Grinstead of 702 attend the 2019 Black Music Honors in Atlanta
Prince Williams/Wireimage
Irish Grinstead, a member of the girl group 702 known for hits like “Where My Girls At,” has died, her sister announced Saturday. She was 43.
Grinstead’s sister and group member, Lemisha Grinstead, announced the news
in an Instagram post.
“It is with great sadness that I inform you that my beautiful sister and friend passed away this evening,” she wrote. “She has been through a long battle and has finally found peace. This girl was as bright as the stars! She was not only beautiful on the outside but also on the inside. Being on stage with her was a joy that I will cherish for the rest of my life! We, the family, ask for prayers and respect for our privacy as we grieve the profound loss of our family.”
Although no cause of death was given, the group announced in December that Irish was taking “medical leave of absence due to serious medical issues.”
The group, which included Kameelah Williams and the Grinstead sisters, took its name from the area code of their hometown of Las Vegas.
They released their debut album No Doubt in 1996, which included singles such as “Steelo”, which was also used as the theme song for Nickelodeon’s TV series Cousin Skeeter. Three years later they released their second album, 702, with the hit “Where My Girls At.”
After Williams was temporarily replaced by Cree La’More, they released their single “Pootie Tangin'” from the soundtrack of the Chris Rock film Pootie Tang, and Williams returned to the group shortly thereafter. This was followed by another album, Star, with the single “I Still Love You”.
In 2006, the group took an eleven-year break. In 2021, the Grinstead sisters appeared on the reality series BET Presents: The Encore, in which nine former girl group members attempted to form a supergroup and create an album in 30 days.
Throughout their career, 702 has been nominated for an American Music Award, a BET Award, multiple Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, and won Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year by a Group, Band or Duo for “No Doubt.” .