702 (group) facts for kids

702 (pronounced "Seven-Oh-Two") is an American girl group. They got their name from the area code of their hometown, Las Vegas, Nevada. The most famous members were Kameelah Williams and sisters Irish and LeMisha Grinstead.

The group started with the Grinstead sisters: Irish, her twin Orish, and their older sister LeMisha. Amelia Childs was also part of the group at first. They first appeared on Subway's song "This Lil' Game We Play". Later, Amelia and Orish left the group. Classmates Tiffany Villarreal and Kameelah Williams briefly joined. Tiffany left before their first song was released.

As a trio, they released their first song, "Steelo". It was a big hit! Their first album, No Doubt, came out in 1996. It sold 500,000 copies in the United States. In 1999, they released their most famous song, "Where My Girls At?". This song was on their album 702 and was very successful.

After that album, Kameelah Williams took a break from the group. Cree La'More joined in her place. This new lineup released a song called "Pootie Tangin'" for the Pootie Tang movie soundtrack. Soon after, Kameelah Williams returned, and Cree La'More left. With Kameelah back, they released the album Star. The song "I Still Love You" is well-known from this album. The group then stopped performing together in 2006. They got back together in 2017 and appeared at the 2017 Soul Train Music Awards.

The Story of 702

In Las Vegas, sisters LeMisha and Irish Grinstead studied at the Las Vegas Academy of Performing Arts. Irish, her twin sister Orish, and LeMisha sometimes sang in the lobby of Caesars Palace. There, actor and comedian Sinbad discovered them. He helped them go to Atlanta for a music competition.

Even though the girls missed the sign-up deadline, Sinbad used his name to get them in. They were called "Sweeta than Suga" back then. They came in second place in the competition. At the event, they met Michael Bivins from the groups New Edition and Bell Biv DeVoe. He agreed to work with the sisters. Singer Amelia Childs joined them for a short time. Michael Bivins suggested the name "702" for the group, which is Las Vegas' area code.

Early Days and Changes (1995)

The group first appeared on Subway's hit song "This Lil' Game We Play". Soon after, Amelia and Orish left the group. Kameelah Williams and Tiffany Villarreal, who were classmates, joined instead. After six months, Tiffany left to start her own solo career.

This led to the most well-known lineup: Kameelah, LeMisha, and Irish as a trio. Orish did not rejoin the group, but she sang background vocals on their first album. She also filled in if any members were away. Michael Bivins kept working with different music producers to create the right sound for their first album.

Becoming Famous (1996–1998)

Their first album, No Doubt, quickly became popular. It reached No. 1 on the Top Heatseekers chart. Missy Elliott helped write and produce four songs on the album. This included the huge hit song "Steelo" and its remix.

The album had three hit songs: "Steelo", "All I Want", and "Get It Together". A different version of "Steelo" was used as the theme song for the Nickelodeon TV show Cousin Skeeter. "All I Want" was in the Nickelodeon movie Good Burger. The group also performed in the TV show All That. "Get It Together" became a big hit, reaching No. 3 on the R&B charts and No. 10 on the Pop charts.

The album won them a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award in 1997. It sold over 500,000 copies worldwide. 702 also opened for famous groups like New Edition, Keith Sweat, and Blackstreet on their tours. They also sang on Missy Elliott's album Supa Dupa Fly in 1998. They also sang with Busta Rhymes' artist Rampage. Their song "My Friend" was on the soundtrack for the movie Men in Black. In 1998, 702 appeared in the TV shows Sister, Sister and Moesha.

Growing Their Career (1999–2000)

After their first album sold well, they released their second album, 702. The first song from this album, "Where My Girls At?", was written and produced by Missy Elliott. It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold very well. The song stayed on the charts for months and was nominated for song of the year. They also received a 1999 Soul Train Lady of Soul Award nomination.

The album reached the Top 40 on the Billboard 200 chart. It earned them a 2000 Soul Train Lady of Soul Award nomination and sold over 500,000 copies. Before their second album, 702 also sang the national anthem for the WNBA season opener. 702 also joined Brandy on her Never Say Never tour.

In June, LeMisha of 702 had her son, Tony Fields II. Orish took her place while LeMisha was away. They also appeared in the 1999 TV movie Double Platinum with Brandy and Diana Ross. 702 also signed a deal with Wilhelmina Models, a modeling agency. The songs "You Don't Know" and "Gotta Leave" were released but did not become as popular as "Where My Girls At?". In 2000, 702 and Eric Benét opened for Brian McKnight's tour.

Break and New Music (2001–2002)

After their second album, 702 took a break. Kameelah Williams decided to leave the group and try a solo career. She worked with Faith Evans and sang backup for her album Faithfully. She also sang backup for Missy Elliott’s song "Take Away".

The Grinstead sisters, Irish and LeMisha, wanted to keep performing as 702. They asked Cree Le'More (now known as "Cree") to join them. This new 702 recorded the song "Pootie Tangin'" for the Chris Rock movie, Pootie Tang. The song did not make it onto any music charts. However, it earned them a 2002 Soul Train Lady of Soul Award nomination.

The Star Album (2003–2006)

Kameelah Williams returned to the group, replacing Cree Lamore. 702 then recorded their third album, Star. It was released in March 2003 and reached the Top 50 on the Billboard 200 chart. The group worked with singers like Mario Winans, Faith Evans, and Clipse. They also worked with producers like The Neptunes and Mike City.

The songs "Star" and "I Still Love You" did not make the Billboard Hot 100 chart. But they did well on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. "Star" reached No. 98 and "I Still Love You" reached No. 49. The album earned them two Soul Train Lady of Soul Award nominations in 2003. In 2003, 702 also sang on the song "Gamble It" from Sirena's album "Emotions". Irish Grinstead appeared in The Brewster Project in 2004.

The group stopped performing together after their third album. In 2006, 702 got back together for an independent album called E Sharp Presents. This time, the group included LeMisha, Irish, and Orish Grinstead, but not Kameelah. The cover of their second album "702" was used for this CD. The group then stopped performing together again in 2006, and the members focused on their own careers.

Solo Work and Reunions (2007-Present)

In 2007, LeMisha Grinstead, using the name "LeMisha 702", released a song called "What I Got". It was on the independent album E Sharp Presents vol. II. She later got married and now manages a wedding chapel in Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. LeMisha's son, Tony Fields II, is a football linebacker for the Cleveland Browns.

On April 20, 2008, Orish Grinstead, Irish's twin sister and a founding member, passed away at age 27 from kidney failure.

In 2010, Kameelah Williams shared on Twitter that she was now focusing on her solo career. She was working on her own album.

BET Presents: The Encore

In May 2021, Irish and LeMisha Grinstead were announced as cast members for the BET Network TV show BET Presents: The Encore. This 10-episode show is a music experiment. It brings together members from famous groups of the 1990s and 2000s. These groups include Total, Danity Kane, 3LW, Blaque, and Cherish.

Music Albums

Studio albums

• No Doubt (1996)
• 702 (1999)
• Star (2002)

Awards and Nominations

American Music Awards

BET Awards

Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards