Irish Grinstead of 702 Passes Away at 43: Cause of Death Unknown. Group Reunited in 2021 for Reality Show.
Her sister, and another group member, Lemisha Grinstead, announced the tragic news on Instagram last Saturday.
Irish Grinstead Of Girl Group 702, Passes Away
“It is with great sadness that I have to let you know that my beautiful sister and friend has passed away this evening,” she conveyed. “She has had a long battle and she is finally at peace. That girl was as bright as the stars! She was not only beautiful on the outside, but also within. Sharing the stage with her was a joy I will cherish for the rest of my life! We, the family ask for prayers and respect for our privacy as we grieve an outstanding loss to our family.”
The cause of her death was not revealed, but it was announced in December that Irish had taken a medical leave of absence due to serious medical issues.
The group, composed of the Grinstead sisters and Kameelah Williams, adopted the name of their hometown’s area code, Las Vegas.
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In 1996, they made their debut with the album “No Doubt,” which included singles like ‘Steelo,’ serving as the theme song for Nickelodeon’s TV show Cousin Skeeter. Their second album, “702,” was released in 1999 and featured the hit song ‘Where My Girls At.’
The girl group underwent a period of transition when Williams took a temporary leave and was substituted by Cree La’More. During this time, the group launched their single ‘Pootie Tangin’ for the soundtrack of the Chris Rock film ‘Pootie Tang’. Eventually, Williams returned to rejoin the group.
Their third album, Star, was subsequently released, featuring the single ‘I Still Love You.’
The group went on hiatus in 2006 and remained apart until 2021. During that year, the Grinstead sisters made an appearance on the reality show BET Presents: The Encore. The show documented the efforts of nine former girl-group members as they attempted to create a supergroup and produce an album within a 30-day timeframe.
During their career, 702 received nominations for an American Music Award, a BET Award, and several Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards. They achieved victory in the category of best R&B/soul album of the year by a group, band, or duo for their album “No Doubt.”
