FRATPACKER WORLD.

FROM ADLIB TO CLOTHING LABEL

Faka Punyete…what does it even mean? Well, we have no idea but according to Loatinover Pounds, “Punyete ke Punyete, and rea faka or rea tshela.”, but what started as an adlib that turned into a beloved catch phrase is now a clothing label that has its own store in Mall of Africa, on the 21^st August 2025. Let’s take a look into the history and evolution of Punyete.

It all started in 2022 when Loatinover Pounds released his debut mixtape, Hood Misunderstood, that had the streets in a chokehold and his name glorified in the hood of Soshanguve but as well as in the in the suburbs of Pretoria and Johannesburg. The mixtape and its wave reached its peak when hit single ‘Sosh Plata’ became a street anthem so much so, that 25K jumped on the remix taking it to national popularity. One of the most notable lines or phrases in the song, that took it to higher popularity and had the country confused and intrigued, is Faka Punyete. It was a phrase that we have never heard before and wondered where did it come from.

Being the nosy, nerdy, South African Hip-Hop lover that I am; I wanted to know and started doing research on Loatinover Pounds and this Punyete movement. When I first started digging around it seemed as though Punyete was more than a phrase but the name of the collective coming out of Soshanguve. The collective seemed to be made of Loatinover Pounds, R&B artists Khalee G, Producer & vocalist Saint Cielio and artistic & creative director Sufi. At first glance it was like, “Ooooooh. Faka Punyete, as in the putting themselves on and in the game themselves.”. I thought it was really cool and creative.

The say, “Life goes full circle.”, and it sure felt that way when, on the 1^st of March 2025, I was able to meet and interview Loatinover Pounds himself at the 5^th edition of Escaping the City (a South African Hip-Hop & RnB live music event) at Block 22 in Hatfield, Pretoria. While interviewing Loatinover, I couldn’t help but ask, “What does Punyete mean?”, and he replied with the same answer then that he gives now [3 years later], “Punyete ke Punyete and rea faka or rea tshela.”, and that was it. I got to ask Khalee G as well and guess what…same answer. It seemed like it was an inside joke or rather I should say, language that they had come up with and could only fully understand its origin and use of it. This was beautiful to witness as it showed just how deep and strong their bond really is.

Some months later from my first-time meeting and interacting with the Punyete collective, I saw that had not just taken the phrase alone but the logo as well and started making merchandise with it. They had started releasing the merchandise around September 2022. At first, they had just made and released a beanie, shirt, trucker cap and tote bag. Being the fan and supporter, I am of South African Hip-Hop, products, youth, tote bags and the Punyete collective; I had no choice but to buy myself a Punyete tote bag; that I got Loatinover Pounds to sign but that’s a story for another article on, Learning How to Treat Our Superstars Like Superstars.”.

I was really impressed how this group of young artists and creatives were moving, thinking bigger, doing bigger and looking at themselves as bigger. It was just a phrase, it was just a collective, it wasn’t just some cool merch to sell to the fans to make some extra money or get their marketing & brand image up. No, they saw Punyete as something that could be bigger than them and live outside of them, mainly having to rely on the music and art for the merchandise to sell. They saw it as having a life of its own and just need the tender love and care for it to grow into its potential.

Without fail in the last 3 years this is exactly what they’ve been able to do. They realised that the phrase which started as an adlib now became a staple in the community. It became a way of recognising a mindset of the type of music you listen to and consume but also the nothing from something mentality of a true hustler. It represented the dream of making it out the kasi to the suburbs. It represented all the black kids who grew up in the hood but felt misunderstood by it because of their different perspectives, hobbies, interests, ideologies, lifestyle and etc. It was relatable to the people and something they could wear with pride because who would have thought a group from Soshanguve could have the whole of South Africa in a headlock.

They decide to focus more on the merchandising as a separate entity so instead of just being merch, it became clothing. They kept it small at first still focusing on shirts that had the famous lyrics, “Ke Faka Punyete Akelwe Le Motho.”, printed on the back. They started making long sleeve sweaters. The next move is what really caught people’s attention to the fact that this was now a clothing label and not just your favourite adlib. They dropped their first pair of sunglasses that had, “Faka Punyete”, printed on the side and when I say, “The streets went crazy!!!”, trust me they did and I know this because it is I, I am the streets.  They didn’t just drop one pair but a collection of sunglasses.

Punyete has always managed to keep creative with their marketing and styling direction. They released a Pizza Punyete collection that the streets ate up. Around the end of 2023, they released their Punyete basketball collection, which had all the hoopers and hip-hoppers smiling ear-to-ear, especially with them replacing the Jerry West (famous former Los Angeles Laker basketball player) with Loatinover Pounds doing the gesture of Faka Punyete. It’s these little touches that really defined them as their own and separated them from just being merchandise to being a brand and clothing label.

In 2024 they didn’t slow down at all. Instead, they took it to a new level with their own live music event titled, Punyete Sontaga. The first one took place on the 8^th of December 2024 at Hartbeesport Dam and it was the debut of Loatinover Pounds, Khalee G & Saint Cielo performing with a live band. At the event they had stalls where you could buy existing, new and undiscovered Punyete clothing and gear. It felt as though it was a pop-up store of sorts.

Surely soon enough in 2025, the Punyete collective started doing their first runs of collaborative pop-up shops. They started in March with their pop-up stall at Hatfield Freshers in Pretoria. Next, they had a pop-up stall at the Cheeky’s game night in Pretoria as well. They would follow these up with pop-ups at the Wonder market, Black Labone, Tik & Twyne, Saucy Wednesdays, Rosebank College Pretoria Denim Fest, Cotton Fest [Johannesburg], Stance Conference [Kgabalatsane], Varsity College Waterfall [Midrand], Thrift Party [Mafikeng], and now most recently (and definitely their biggest yet) they did a pop-up store from the 21^st of August – 24^th of August 2025 at the Mall of Africa in Midrand. The reason why this is such a historic and monumental event is that what was once an adlib was now being sold in commercial and retails spaces in the biggest mall in Africa. That’s truly amazing and something we as South Africa and Hip-Hop should be celebrating with the loudest cheers.

The story of Punyete is an inspiring and aspirational one. A phrase that was born probably out of friends just kicking it by the corner store grew into a brand so big and powerful that the corporates in the corner office could not help but give them a space to showcase and sell themselves to the rest of South Africa. They transcended just being for the hip-hop, cool kids, fashion and music crowd, and they have started reaching for national acclaim and truly becoming a household name. To this day do we know what Punyete means? No, but it doesn’t matter we will wear it with pride and honour because…,” Punyete ke Punyete and rea faka or rea tshela.”.