Lifetime has given the greenlight to two music-related projects, a miniseries on rap group Salt-N-Pepa and a biopic on gospel group the Clark Sisters. Queen Latifah is an executive producer for both projects via her Flavor Unit production company, with Mary J. Blige and Missy Elliott among the executive producers for the Clark Sisters film. Both projects are slated for programming in 2020.
The Salt-N-Pepa miniseries traverses the lives of Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton, as they go from nursing school students to entering the world of hip-hop and rap and their rise and successes, which includes becoming the first female rap act to go platinum. The miniseries will feature a slew of their hits, including “Let’s Talk About Sex,” “What a Man,” “Shoop” and “Push It,” among others. James and Denton will serve as executive producers alongside Jesse Collins, and Flavor Unit’s Queen Latifah and Shakim Compere.
The Clark Sisters: The First Ladies of Gospel is an authorized biopic that traces the group’s story, from their humble beginnings in Detroit and tackling and overcoming ensuing family issues and other challenges to becoming the highest selling female gospel group in history. The cast includes Christina Bell (Twinkie), Kierra Sheard (Karen), Sheléa Frazier (Dorinda), Raven Goodwin (Denise) and Angela Birchett (Jacky) portraying the sisters. Aunjanue Ellis portrays the mother of the siblings, Mattie Moss Clark. Christine Swanson serves as director and Sylvia L. Jones wrote the script.
“Bringing untold stories of phenomenal women to life has been a core tenant of Lifetime,” the EVP of Movies, Limited Series & Original Movie Acquisitions, Lifetime and LMN’s Tanya Lopez said in a statement. “We are thrilled to partner with Cheryl, Sandra, Queen Latifah, Mary, Missy and the Clark Sisters for the new projects that will showcase these iconic women in music to new audiences.”
