Irish Grinstead, a singer from the ’90s and early 2000s girl group 702, has died at the age of 43. A cause of death has not been released, but her sister and fellow group member LeMisha Grinstead noted that Irish “has had a long battle.”
News of her death was confirmed by LeMisha, who shared on Instagram, “It is with great sadness that I have to let you know that my beautiful sister and friend has passed away this evening. She has had a long battle and she is finally at peace.”
She continued, “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.”
702 is best known for their song “Where My Girls At” as well as “Steelo,” which was the theme song for the Nickelodeon show “Cousin Skeeter.” The group took a hiatus for several years after their song “Pootie Tangin’” was featured in the Chris Rock movie “Pootie Tang,” written and directed by Louis C.K.
In 2021, the Grinstead sisters joined the reality show “BET Presents: The Encore,” which told the story of nine former members of female-led groups who wanted to join together to form a supergroup and release a record in 30 days or less.
Irish Grinstead admitted that she joined the show to showcase her own singing talent (702 was led by singer Meelah Williams). She said, “I’ve always felt pressure myself. Meelah has a beautiful voice, Misha is gifted with her writing and her voice so I’m kind of used to it. It is a battle within yourself like, ‘Where do I fit in and how can I find my place?’ But, that’s when I trust God and I trust his decisions for me and in some kind of way, I will find my way through it.”
