702 (group)

For other uses, see 702 (disambiguation).

702
702 in a promotional photo from 1999; (from left to right): Orish Grinstead, Meelah Williams, and Irish Grinstead
Background information
Also known asSweeter than Sugar
OriginLas Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Genres
Years active
  • 1993–2006
  • 2017–present
Labels
Members
  • Misha Grinstead
  • Meelah Williams
Past members

702 (pronounced "seven-oh-two") is an American musical girl group whose most notable line-up consisted of LeMisha Grinstead, Irish Grinstead, and Meelah Williams. The group began their musical career as Sweeter than Sugar, formed in 1993 in Las Vegas. After years of limited success, the original quartet comprising LeMisha Grinstead, Irish Grinstead, Orish Grinstead, and Amelia Cruz were signed in 1995 to Biv 10 Records as 702. The group first had mainstream success following the release of their 1996 single, "Steelo".

Spawning from their debut studio album No Doubt (1996), the song peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, while the album received gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Their self-titled second album (1999) became their best-selling release, and contained the top-five single "Where My Girls At?".[4][5] Despite critical and commercial success, the group experienced lineup changes with Orish and Cruz being replaced by Meelah Williams and Tiffany Villarreal, respectively.

In mid-1996, Villarreal quit after a few months, leaving the group as a trio. In 2001, Cree Lemore replaced Williams after her departure from the group. This lineup released a single "Pootie Tangin'" before Lemore left and Williams re-joining the group. The group released their final album Star in 2003 and disbanded in 2006. The group reunited at 2017 Soul Train Music Awards.[6] 702 has sold over 4 million records as of 2006.[4]

  1. ^ "702: Star". PopMatters. October 15, 2003. Archived from the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2022. 702, a trio of mid-tempo R&B queens who started out in 1995 creating a bit of a stir with the Missy Elliott-produced "Steelo".......
  2. ^ Johnson, Beth (June 25, 1999). "702 – Music – EW.com". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2022. 702's hip-pop is catchy, though hard to distinguish from the swelling tsunami of R&B girl groups.
  3. ^ Singleton, Kyera (April 27, 2018). "10 Things To Know About R&B Group, 702, And Their Rise To Fame". Vibe. Archived from the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2022. Their music, often mid-tempo jams, struck the perfect balance between soulful pop and mature fun.
  4. ^ a b "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  5. ^ 702 Ready For ‘Star’-dom. Billboard. Retrieved on April 5, 2024
  6. ^ Get It Together! 702 Says They're Reuniting For A Tour. BET. Retrieved on April 6, 2024