‘Whitney,’ ‘The Temptations,’ more TV movies about R&B singers
Alexandra Shipp has the title role in "Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B." Credit: Lifetime / Christos Kalohoridis
“The New Edition Story” (Jan. 24-26, BET) chronicles the ups and downs of the Boston-based ’80s R&B group (whose members included Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, Ricky Bell, Ronnie DeVoe and Michael Bivins). Here are five other TV movies about R&B acts:
THE TEMPTATIONS (NBC, 1998) The four-hour miniseries was produced by group member Otis Williams (Charles Malik Whitfield) and told the story of the influential Motown quintet largely though his perspective.
CRAZYSEXYCOOL: THE TLC STORY (VH1, 2013) The highly rated film about the trio starred Keke Palmer as Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, Niatia Kirkland as Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes and Drew Sidora as Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins.
AALIYAH: PRINCESS OF R&B (Lifetime, 2014) Alexandra Shipp starred as the young singer who died in a 2001 plane crash in the Bahamas.
WHITNEY (Lifetime, 2015) Angela Bassett directed the biopic with Yaya DaCosta portraying doomed diva Whitney Houston.
TONI BRAXTON: UNBREAK MY HEART (Lifetime, 2016) Lex Scott Davis played the singer from her discovery by mega-producers L.A. Reid and Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds to her battle with lupus.
Andy Edelstein, Newsday's entertainment editor, supervises coverage of TV, celebrities, movies and pop music. He has written three books on popular culture, including "The Brady Bunch Book."