The Irishman Grinstead dies: the singer of 702 was 43 years old

Irish GrinsteadR&B girl group singer 702 best known for the 1999 hit “Where My Girls At,” died Saturday. She was 43 years old.

Grinstead’s sister and 702 member LeMisha Grinstead announced the news of his death on instagram.

“It is with great sadness that I must inform you that my beautiful sister and friend passed away tonight,” he wrote. “She has had a long battle and is finally at peace. That girl was as bright as the stars! She was not only beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside. Sharing the 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 mourn an exceptional loss for our family.”

While no cause of death was provided, the R&B group announced in December that Irish was taking “a medical leave due to serious medical issues.”

Grinstead was born on June 2, 1980. His twin sister Orish died of kidney failure in 2008 at age 27.

702, formed by sisters Grinstead and Kameelah Williams, is named after their hometown area of ​​Las Vegas.

The group released their debut album “No Doubt” in 1996, featuring a guest appearance by Missy Elliott on the single “Steelo.” They released their second album “702” in 1999, which included the hit song “Where My Girls At.”

After releasing their last album “Star” in 2003, the group disbanded in 2006 and took an 11-year hiatus. In 2021, the Grinstead sisters appeared on “BET Presents: The Encore,” a 10-episode reality show that followed nine former R&B girl group members and their attempts to form a supergroup and create an album in 30 days.

702 was nominated for an American Music Award, a BET Award and several Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, winning Best R&B/Soul Album of the Year by a Group, Band or Duo for “No Doubt” in 1997.

Williams paid tribute to Grinstead in a instagram post, writing: “Devastated and heartbroken. I struggled with this post because to me this is not real. There is a lot I want to say, but there is no way to say what your heart has not fully accepted. It is difficult to recognize that this is happening. I know you feel better now and hug your twin Orish, which makes me smile because I know how much you missed her. You and I have known each other since we were kids and we laughed, cried, celebrated and everything else, so I don’t want to believe this.”