We love everything about Beyond the Gates; from the cast to the crew, the fashion to the sets, the performances to the performances (yes, they deserve repeating). But if we’re ranking our favorite things? Those blink-and-you’ll-miss-them behind-the-scenes moments sit right at the top. They’re the kind that make you pause, rewind, and say, wait… did you catch that?
Case in point: the Christmas episode that aired on Wednesday, December 24, 2025. While watching, we were treated to Clifton Davis (aka Vernon Dupree) delivering a soulful rendition of the holiday classic “Joy to the World.” And, of course, he didn’t sing solo. Joining him were the voices of his onscreen grandchildren: Colby Muhammad (Kat), Arielle Prepetit (Naomi), and RhonniRose Mantilla (Chelsea). Together? Absolutely beautiful. Harmonies on point. That holiday magic was fully activated.
Beyond the Gates: A Singing Cast
Now here’s the part that makes us love it even more. Production Supervisor LaQuanda Plantt pulled back the curtain on Instagram. She shared a reel that showed how this moment came together, and let’s just say, they didn’t record this just anywhere. The cast headed to Stankonia Studios, OutKast’s legendary creative home.
In her caption, Plantt wrote:
“One of my favorite 2025 memories working on Beyond the Gates is when I had the opportunity to leave the 3rd floor and accompany Arielle, Colby and Rhonni to meet Clifton Davis at Stankonia Recording Studios to record ‘Joy to the World’ for our Christmas episode #197 that aired Christmas Eve 12/24/2025.
I am a creative, working in a corporate environment and anytime I get to be a part of anything creative on our show, I am running to do it… this day was such a monumental moment to be able to sit in the studio with the most amazingly talented humans… we were recording at Stankonia Studios (hello, OutKast’s studio!)”
And if you saw the episode, you already know, these BTG stars didn’t just sing it. They owned it. Slayed it and left no crumbs.
Check out the behind-the-scenes magic below, because moments like these are exactly why Beyond the Gates continues to hit all the right notes (pun intended).
Photo Credit: Quantell Colbert/CBS Broadcasting Inc.
Key Takeaways
- The Christmas episode of Beyond the Gates featured Clifton Davis singing ‘Joy to the World’ alongside his onscreen grandchildren.
- Production Supervisor LaQuanda Plantt revealed that the recording took place at Stankonia Studios, OutKast’s legendary studio.
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