Nas and Soul Patrol @Sundance 2026

It is fascinating to cinephiles like FERNTV to observe the director’s perspective of Black American involvement during the Vietnam War. A time when the fight for civil rights was taking a turn and their culture was becoming accepted in sectors in the country. Watching films such as Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, and Hamburger Hill gave us a glimpse of what brotherhood was all about within these battalions. It gave us a perspective of what it was like for a young black man fighting for your country in the Vietnam War. It was a time when black men had only themselves to rely on to survive a deadly war that America had no business of being in.

Director J.M. Harper directs this Park Pictures documentary, Soul Patrol, which focuses on a Black special operations team once led by Ed Emmanuel. The Nas executive produced film follows this man who was drafted as a teenager and experienced what it was like to be a “soul brother” during the Vietnam War. One of the turning points for Emmanuel was when one of his flight captains announced the assassination of JFK. He knew then that fighting for his own civil rights had taken to a level.

We can only imagine here on FERNTV the soundtrack of this film and its connection with Nas. It was pivotal for directors like Oliver Stone and Stanley Kubrick to implement some of the best tracks from black artists into their films. This allowed the audience to immerse themselves in these period pieces. You can bet that this art form is what made young black men endure in the Vietnam War when it was so easy to be stuck in the trenches.

Through archival footage, reenactments, and testimonies, J.M. Harper presents a poignant and relevant portrayal of a pivotal time for young Black men in America. While they were building themselves an identity and place in society, the Vietnam War provided them with a strength and resilience never seen or experienced before. J.M. Harper reunites this team to determine if it would bring the unit peace as well as audiences who were affected by the Vietnam War. Will it be therapeutic for those who are involved with this film and bring it to light as one of the most unforgettable times in history.