Whatever Happened To: 702
My favorite was probably 702, and not just because I thought one of the girls was fine. They had quite a few hits for a group I predicted would be one-hit wonders.
The most famous incarnation of the group consisted of lead singer Kameelah Williams, Misha Grinstead and that fine Irish Grinstead. But longtime fans (i.e., senior citizens like myself) might remember that there were actually FOUR members – Mish, Irish, her twin sister Orish and a girl named Amelia. Those four ladies joined Subway (the quartet, not the sandwich shop) for “This Lil’ Game We Play.”
Ladies, I know you remember that one.
After that song, Amelia left, Kameelah joined and Orish dropped out. But Orish returned sporadically throughout the years to fill the gaps when the other members had children/tried to go solo/started beefing. And you thought keeping up with Destiny’s Child members was confusing.
Their first album was 1996’s No Doubt, led by the catchy first single “Steelo.” This was around the time Missy Elliott began to randomly show up on songs and people would be like “who is that hee-hee-hee-hee-haww girl?” Missy might have stolen the show, but 702 stuck around for the surprisingly banging “Get It Together,” which still gets airplay on my iPod. They released two more singles, the title track and “All I Want,” which I will forever remember as the song from the atrocious “Good Burger” movie.
The girls came back in 1999 with their platinum self-titled sophomore album. Missy hooked them up with the girl-power anthem “Where My Girls At?” But if you actually listen to the song, it’s not that empowering, just ghetto. Verse two goes like this:
Hey hey hey hey,
Don’t you violate me,
‘Cuz I can make you hate me,
If you decide to mess with mine.
Chop you down to size,
Make you realize,
That you done messed up this time.
Young ladies, you heard it here first – if someone “messes with yours” beat the crap out of them.
Their final album was 2003’s Star, but if you blinked you missed it. I only saw the video for their single, “Star,” once and the only thing I remember is one of the girls sitting in a shopping cart. Clearly the budget was low for that one. Still, their second single “I Still Love You” got lots of radio play. I remember Pharrell Williams, who produced it, once said it was among his favorite songs ever.
I have no idea what the girls are up to now. Before their third album Kameelah was a short-lived protege of Faith Evans, but I guess that didn’t work out. Founding member Orish sadly passed away after a long illness last year. Last time I saw Irish she was hanging on the arm of Marques Houston, breaking my heart.
Should they come back: Well, actually, they tried. According to Wikipedia, there were rumors the girls were adding a male member, but it didn’t work out. And I quote:
“(It was) later confirmed that Rashon Graves was never a member and just making up lies, cause he can never get along with people cause of him being so young and hot-tempered.”
If you want to read gripping prose, just visit Wikipedia.
As for the girls, I think they’ve been through enough drama. I’ll just stick to their old stuff.
they are so on my MP3! thats where they are!! “where my girls at from the front to back?” that was my jam back in the day. i have the CD if you wanna burn it. LOL
wowww I used to LOVE 702. You definitely dug up some info I had no clue about including Kameelah being a Faith protege, or the fact that one died (so sad)!
It’s sad how much I remember about these old groups.