Irish Grinstead, a member of the girl group 702, known for hit songs like “Where My Girls At,” has died.
On Saturday, Grinstead’s sister and group member, LeMisha Grinstead announced on Instagram about the passing of her sister.
“It is with great sadness that I have to let you know that my beautiful sister and friend has passed away this evening,” she wrote. “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 singer’s death comes just months after the group announced in December that Irish would be taking a “medical leave of absence due to serious medical issues.”
The R&B girl group 702, included the Grinstead sisters along with Kameelah Williams, took its name from the area code of their hometown, Las Vegas.
The group released their debut album, No Doubt, in 1996, that featured singles including “Steelo,” which was used as the theme song for Nickelodeon’s TV series Cousin Skeeter. In 1999, they released their second album, 702, which featured the hit song “Where My Girls At.”
702 has been nominated for an American Music Award, a BET Award, and multiple Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, winning best R&B/soul album of the year by a group, band or duo for No Doubt.
This isn’t LeMisha’s first time dealing with the death of a sister as Irish’s twin sister, Orish, passed away in 2008 due to kidney failure. Orish was the founding member of 702. Orish left the group just before the release of their 1996 debut album, No Doubt.
Irish Grinstead’s cause of death is unknown. Grinstead was 43 at the time of her death. The Baller Alert Family send our condolences to the Grinstead family during this difficult time.