R&B group 702 (Kameelah Williams, Misha Grinstead and Irish Grinstead) attends the First Annual Teen Choice Awards on August 1, 1999, at the Barker Hangar, Santa Monica Air Center in Santa Monica, California. | Source: Ron Galella / Getty
Irish Grinstead, who rose to prominence in the late 1990s as one-third of the R&B trio 702, has died, according to her sister. The announcement was posted on Instagram and reported that the singer died on Saturday following a “long battle.” She was 43.
“It is with great sadness that I have to let you know that my beautiful sister and friend has passed away this evening,” LeMisha Grinstead wrote in an Instagram post late Saturday night. “She has had a long battle and she is finally at peace.”
The cause of death was not immediately clear.
702 released three studio albums between 1996 and 2003, including their debut single “Steelo,” which featured an up-and-coming Missy Elliot.
The group is also known for their 1999 hit, “Where My Girls At?”
Irish Grinstead’s death comes more than 15 years after her twin sister, Orish, an original member of 702, died from kidney failure.
Irish and LeMisha reflected on the loss of their sister during an episode of “BET Presents The Encore” in 2021, according to ABC News.
Describing the sisters as “like triplets,” Irish said opening up about Orish was cathartic, saying “it was kind of relieving to be able to speak about it and to finally let it out my heart.”
In 2018, 702 announced a reunion tour featuring Irish, LeMisha and Kameelah Williams.
Condolences were pouring in on social media as “Irish” was a top trending topic on the app formerly known as Twitter.
This is a developing story that will be updated as additional information becomes available.
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