Rest In Peace — Irish Grinstead
Irish Grinstead was a talented and beautiful singer who rose to fame as a member of the R&B girl group 702 in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She died on September 16, 2023, at the age of 43, after a long battle with an undisclosed illness. Her sister and fellow group member, LeMisha Grinstead, announced the sad news on Instagram, asking for prayers and respect for their privacy as they grieved an outstanding loss to their family.
Irish Grinstead was born on June 2, 1980, in Houston, Texas, along with her identical twin sister, Orish Grinstead. They moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, with their older sister, LeMisha Grinstead, where they attended the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts. The sisters had a passion for music and singing since they were young, and they often performed in the lobby of Caesars Palace, where they were discovered by actor and comedian Sinbad.
The Grinstead sisters formed a quartet with their friend Amelia Childs, and they were signed to Biv 10 Records and Motown through a joint venture deal. They made their debut as featured artists on Subway’s hit single “This Lil’ Game We Play” in 1994. However, Amelia and Orish were soon removed from the group by producer Michael Bivins, who did not favor their voices. They were replaced by Tiffany Villarreal and Kameelah Williams, who joined Irish and LeMisha to form the final and most known line-up of 702.
The group released their first album, No Doubt, in 1996, which featured a guest appearance by Missy Elliott on the single “Steelo”. The song became a hit and was certified gold by the RIAA. It also served as the theme song for the Nickelodeon show Cousin Skeeter. The album sold over 500,000 copies in the United States and established 702 as one of the leading R&B girl groups of the era.
In 1999, the group released their self-titled second album, which included their most famous song, “Where My Girls At?”. The song was co-written and produced by Missy Elliott, and it peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It also became one of the group’s three singles to be certified gold by the RIAA, along with “Get It Together” and “Steelo”. The album was also a success, reaching No. 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 34 on the Billboard 200.
The group’s third and final album, Star, was released in 2003. It featured production by The Neptunes and guest appearances by Clipse and Pharrell Williams. The album spawned the single “I Still Love You”, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. However, the album did not perform as well as their previous ones, and the group decided to part ways in 2006.
Irish Grinstead had a personal life that was marked by tragedy and health issues. In 2008, her twin sister Orish died from kidney failure at the age of 27. Irish also suffered from kidney problems and other serious medical conditions that forced her to take a leave of absence from the group in December 2022. She never recovered from her illness and passed away peacefully on September 16, 2023.
Irish Grinstead will be remembered as a talented singer who brought joy and energy to her fans with her voice and personality. She was part of a group that made an impact on the R&B scene with their catchy songs and harmonies. She influenced many other artists who followed in her footsteps and admired her style. She was loved by her family, friends, and fans who will miss her dearly.
RIP Irish.