Taye Diggs, Ne-Yo, Eric Bellinger to star as ‘The Black Pack’ in variety specials
The three performers will host two specials that celebrate Christmas and Juneteenth, respectively, featuring special celebrity guests and a combination of music, comedy, and dance.
We’ve all heard of The Rat Pack: the show business collective of Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin. Well, it’s time to get ready for The Black Pack! The Black Pack is not only a “tip of the hat” the moniker of the Davis, Sinatra, and Martin trio, but also embodies charisma, camaraderie, and multi-talented abilities in their various forms.
The CW Network announced that actor Taye Diggs is teaming up with singer/songwriters Ne-Yo and Eric Bellinger to form “The Black Pack” as part of two forthcoming variety specials.
The first of the specials, The Black Pack: These Three Kings, will air on Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. EST and have a holiday theme, featuring performances of traditional Christmas tunes as well as newer songs. These Three Kings is the latest in a series of Black-themed holiday specials, including ABC’s 2020 holiday special, Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas II You, and Fox’s 2015 special, Taraji and Terrence’s White Hot Holidays, starring Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard.
The second special, The Black Pack: Excellence, is a star-studded celebration of the Juneteenth holiday. The music and dance extravaganza will showcase the historical achievements of art and culture and the celebration and significance of Juneteenth becoming a national holiday for the first time. It will also serve as a tribute to Davis and his career.
While no date has been formally announced, The Black Pack: Excellence will premiere in 2022. Each special will be feature special guest stars, including Tank, Sevyn Streeter, Jordin Sparks, and actress Bre-Z.
Diggs is a seasoned actor in films (The Best Man franchise), television (All American), and stage (Rent). Ne-Yo is a hit-making songwriter for himself (“So Sick,” “Closer,” “Because of You”) and others (Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable,” and Mario’s “Let Me Love You,” both of which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100). Bellinger is a Grammy-nominated songwriter who has lent his pen to artists like Tank, Chris Brown, Tyrese, and Brandy and released seven solo albums of his own.
Diggs serves as co-executive producer of The Black Pack specials, along with Shannon Stoeke and Rikki Hughes, who is also the showrunner for both specials.
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