D Smoke Stars With Corinne Foxx In OWN’s “Tapping Into Christmas”

D Smoke joined Corinne Foxx in OWN’s Tapping Into Christmas, playing a musician in a holiday film about a Memphis theater on the verge of closing.

OWN announced Tuesday that the movie will premiere December 5 at 9 P.M. ET/PT. Debbie Allen and Obba Babatundé also star, while tap dancers Chloé Arnold and Maud Arnold helped shape the story on both sides of the camera.

D Smoke plays Chance, a musician who helps Foxx’s character, Jeni Walker, find her way back to performing.

Jeni returns to Memphis for Christmas amid a setback in her New York theater career. At home, she learns that Heritage House, the community theater she loves, may close.

That threat brings her together with her sisters, Cora and Mable, played by Chloé and Maud.

They plan a holiday tap show to raise the money needed to keep the doors open. Allen plays Ms. Dianne, the theater’s owner and Jeni’s mentor, while Babatundé plays her childhood tap teacher, Mr. Duncan.

The Arnold sisters, who founded Syncopated Ladies, also created and choreographed the film.

“OWN For the Holidays has become a beloved tradition for our viewers, and this year we’re thrilled to bring them stories that capture the joy, warmth and spirit of the season in very different ways,” OWN President Tina Perry said in the announcement.

“We’re especially excited to continue the story of The Christmas Showdown with OWN’s first-ever holiday movie sequel, while also introducing Tapping Into Christmas, a celebration of music, dance and community.”

D Smoke trained as an actor long before his rap breakthrough. Tasha Smith coached him in high school and later helped bring him to Bel-Air, where he appeared as himself.

“I showed up and did my best at playing D Smoke,” he told GQ in 2022.

He went on to appear in Mayor of Kingstown while continuing his music career, which included a 2025 partnership with Snoop Dogg’s Death Row Records.

Allen and Chloé Arnold also brought a long creative bond to the production. Arnold performed in Allen’s work at the Kennedy Center while still in high school and continued working with her afterward.

FOX Entertainment Studios produced both movies for OWN’s eighth holiday lineup. The Christmas Showdown 2 will open the event on November 28, one week before Tapping Into Christmas.