FRATPACKER WORLD.

A Comic Con Review

As South Africans we would watch TV and movies, seeing & hearing about the magic that is Comic Con. If you’re new to the concept of Comic Con, it is meant to be a wonderland for everything comic, animation, anime, manga, superhero, gaming and sci-fi based. A place where fantasy meets reality…yet somehow it feels as if that spark is missing or isn’t being translated for the South African crowd and I have some thoughts and feelings on maybe why this may be the case.

Let’s begin at the world of comic books, sci-fi, fantasy, animation, anime and cosplay. It’s more socially known to be more of a white person’s hobby, interest or activity. Now while even in white cultures it is seen as more of a nerdy, geeky and weird trait to enjoy and have in black cultures the level of perceived weirdness is multiplied tenfold with cases of ostracization taking place or being teased, bullied or roasted for having a liking and passion for such interests. It made one feel as though they were doing something wrong or had to enjoy in secrecy to not have the negative stigmas thrown upon you.

What made things harder was the lack of representation for black people and people of colour in these comics, shows, series, movies and such. Having said that I’ve always been of the understanding that as a creator of anything one would create from their lived and perceived experiences so I’m not expecting a white person to create with a person of colour’s perspective in mind, especially back in those days and that we should always be promoting and encouraging our own people to start taking up these spaces and create our own stories and narratives around these interests. Growing up facing the ostracizations from both sides, whether intentional or accidentally, it felt like there was no safe space for one to express themselves. Having to either enjoy in privacy, secretly searching for your tribe or living it out loud and proud, facing the criticising and roasting head-on. This was all until 2018 when Comic Con arrived in South Africa for the first time.

When the news first broke in 2018 that for the first time ever Comic Con would be in Africa, hosted in Johannesburg, South Africa, at the Coca-Cola Dome, it broke the internet. The world’s largest comic, superhero, anime, gaming, sci-fi and cosplay convention was coming to South Africa, and everybody was in a frenzy. Unfortunately, I couldn’t attend the first one or the second in 2019 and then in 2020 Covid-19 was the cause for a Comic Con Africa free year. The convention came back in 2021 and in 2023 I had the privilege and honour of being selected to participate as media for the convention and have been to every Comic Con since.

Now that we’ve gone through the history of Comic Con Africa, let me breakdown my experience with the event these past 3 years. My first year attending in 2023, it was held at The Nasrec Expo Centre, and I went as selected media, so the experience was cool and different to the regular bought ticket. We were invited to a media address night at Cracker Zac in Rosebank and then invited to a walkthrough of the convention on the Wednesday, the day before the convention officially opened. We were told of new editions happening at the convention such as; Street Con – A spot to highlight, what they would call the “urban” culture but we really know they mean black and hip-hop culture, Otsuka Town – A collaboration and partnership between South Africa and the Japanese government and arts program, The Table Top Tournament – Showcasing table top games, which are card games like Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, Magic The Gathering and more.

As a first timer, this was exciting, and I felt fresh-faced and wide-eyed. Even though I was media, I had to go in cosplay because it would feel criminal otherwise. I went to 3 out of the 4 days, going as Monkey D. Luffy, and Donkey Kong. The experience was truly amazing seeing all the different and amazing cosplay and costumes from the home-made to the crazy complex machinery and make-up people had. The whole centre was filled and buzzing with excitement. Seeing so many black and people of colour enjoying their passion and hobbies with full joy and no fear of judgement or teasing. Having black kids, parents and adults stop and ask you for a picture and just to talk favourite anime or comic and genuinely share a passion and love with others that look like you are a blessing. A better feeling was walking around the convention and seeing different stalls, finding new local vendors that either sell or create their own comics, posters, merchandise and more. It opened my eyes to a whole deeper and active world within South Africa that hasn’t been highlighted because of the stigmas around it. The Street Con was dope with them showcasing that hip-hop is a fantasy world itself with its descriptive writing and artforms that present itself in graffiti, sneaker culture and its fashion.

With everything looking and feeling so good, I had noticed some areas of concern or critique that were worthy to note.  My first critique would be that in the space and area they have the main stage where they have the talks and cosplay competitions was centred in the busy of everything and makes it confusing to know what’s going on at the time or to pay attention to the show taking place on stage. It feels as though they should have a whole area set up specifically for the different talks and speakers that could serve as a conference area and patrons can attend the talks and programs they would like to attend. This would lead me to the next point which would be the programming. They usually set their talks with the international guests early at around 9am – 10am which is hard on a Saturday morning and especially with people having to prepare and get into their cosplay before arriving. This includes the gaming tournaments as well. Lastly it would be the entertainment factor with South Africans being people known to enjoy a great time and celebration it felt like in a world based off imagination it was very limited. I wondered why they hadn’t hired choreographers and stunt people to dress in cosplay and re-enact or create new fight scenes with characters or do a flash mob, having mini competitions around of trivia, quizzes, guess the character, a scavenger hunt where you have to find or take pictures with certain characters or getting clues by visiting different stalls. The entertainment area that did have live bands performing should learn the South African market and get the artists that also provide a commercial appeal and attraction for your average person who may just be looking for a great time out while learning more about a culture they were previously shout out to.

These were my initial worries and in the last two years unfortunately it hasn’t gotten any better with Comic Con Africa taking away the Street Con and removing some of the speaker engagements. The spread of information for the program has gotten lost in the communication with people not knowing which competitions or showcases taking place and were. For example, this year quite a few people were surprised to find out that there was an amateur and fan cosplay competition participation and not just the professional one. Talking about the cosplay competition, I’ve personally never been able to experience with everything happening, everywhere all at once by the main hall. Last year when attending Comic Con Africa as a patron this time, it felt as though it was just a convention for vendors to find new customers and market themselves but not as a fantasy experience. This year with it being moved earlier in the timeline from September to August, it felt rushed and with knowing what to expect it felt like going to school opening your lunchbox at break knowing you’re going to get the same old cheese sandwich; yeah, it’ll do the job but there’s no craving for it. Even with the tabletop games, they could make them an exhibition and have people sign-up for tournaments and prizes, dress it up and present it like a spectacle and battle of the best to ever lay hands on a deck.

I know I maybe sounding like I’m being overly critical and just knit-picking at things but in a world and country where young black kids and kids of colour aren’t really encouraged to get into comics, anime, fantasy and the sci-fi world. Besides the stigma and ostracization around it there also comes in the barrier of costs and knowledge. With most coming from disadvantaged backgrounds, most don’t have the money necessary to hire out and buy the professional and authentic cosplays or costumes ad because not being encouraged to look into the world of fantasy most are clueless on where to start and how one is able to make their own homemade cosplay using everyday products. It could be really cool if, before leading into the main event, Comic Con would do workshops and activations around the townships and cities in Johannesburg on cosplaying and all it’s sub-genres like make-up, performances, sewing and more.

Comic Con Africa has such potential to make an impact in the world of fantasy in South Africa and Africa as a whole but they need to engage with the people and community, in terms of immersing themselves into the event culture of the people and providing us with an experience instead of a convention. Help change people’s realities and bring them the fantasy that we so desperately seek and hope to be immersed and engulfed in.

Yes I know what you thinking, is Fratpacker World going pop!? Yes it is because all genres matter. Plus Ed opened the album with some bars. Talking his big popstar talk. Did I mention that I also had some fire ice cream at the listening session. We rocking with Ed here.

To celebrate, Warner Music took the soft life soft server route and hosted a private listening session at Paul’s Homemade Ice Cream in Parkhurst. Imagine: Joburg sun, soft serve in hand, and Ed Sheeran’s new music floating through the vibe. It was a scooping vibes moment where global stardom met local flavor. Plus they had headphones for everyone so it had a silent Ed Sheeren disco tint to it.

Ed’s rap moments were the cherry on top (or let’s say the flake on the soft serve). You could tell he’s having fun pushing boundaries, giving us tracks that sit just as comfortably on a late-night drive playlist as they would on a “catching feelings but also catching a groove” tip.

Warner kept it cool with ice cream and music as the perfect combo. Everyone left the session feeling youthful and closer to Ed’s music. The soft serve rollout proves that when you blend storytelling with experimentation (and add a scoop of Joburg lifestyle), you get something refreshing, global, but still grounded in vibes. Good job Ed. Good Job Warner. Check Ed Sheeren’s new album on your preferred legal streaming platform (yes I said legal, we know how you pirate lovers do).

Frat!

It’s 2025 and the fever of patriotism has filled the South African air and the youth are breathing it in more than they are vapes.  We’ve seen the growth in wanting to buy, support, attend and promote everything African and especially South African. We see it in the way we celebrate our music, film, tv and visual arts but nothing has the youth flying the flag of patriotism higher than the South African streetwear market. In the last 8 years we’ve seen a growth in both brands and demand for more local streetwear clothing and I decide to create my own rubric and criteria to rate the top 10 South African Streetwear Brands as we go into the spring/summer season.

To start off let me breakdown the rubric for the scoring and rating. In total I looked at around 30+ South African streetwear brands. I do have to mention that some brands were ineligible just because they were on the high-end scale of streetwear and this was more for the authentic sense and feel of streetwear. I used 7 different categories, all with a rating out of ten and rounded to the first decimal point, to score and rate the brands. The categories were; longevity, cultural impact, relevancy, collection, branding, style and price. After rating each category, the scores were added up and divided by 7 to give a final score rating out of 10 and that’s how the rankings were formed. As I rank each brand I’ll give their final score, and give a brief description behind my thought process and rating. Now that we’ve gone through the process and you trust it. well, I hope you trust it after this but let’s get into it.

TOP 10 SOUTH AFRICAN STREETWEAR BRANDS

10. MERCHA

At the ten spot is Mercha. They are still infants to the streetwear game but the fact that they’ve become a home for local artists, before mainstream and emerging, to create and sell their own merchandise has helped break barriers for most artists and the foundation to building household names.

9. THESIS

Coming in at number nine is Thesis. A brand that has survived through the years and become a staple in the community. They’ve been able to adjust and pivot with the times to still remain relevant and on top of the people’s mind but could do more to connect with the new youth of South Africa.

8. PUNYETE

At number eight rea faka Punyete. The clothing brand, that was built off an adlib, became a cultural impact story with their consist collection and capsule drops and hitting the pop-up features like crazy over the last two years. Most notably and recently they just did a pop-up store at the Mall of Africa. Showing that no matter how young the brand and brains behind it, you’re always able to compete with the big dogs as long as the dog in you is up to the challenge.

7. EMBEDDED

At number seven is Embedded. The Pretoria brand that has been around since 2015 is an amazing clothing brand that should be talked about more. They have an amazing collection filled with pieces like biker jackets, leggings, soccer jerseys and more. They have had cultural impact supplying clothes for artists such as DJ Sliqe & Emtee for their music videos. For some reason it just feels as though they haven’t managed to get over the hump of just being a hometown hero and touching more of the nation. I believe engaging more with fans in their different cities will be the first step their and creating more analogue experiences for them will help elevate them to a new level.

6. BROKE

At number six is Broke. Based in Cape Town the collective has been able to make a nationwide name for themselves with their young and energetic take on their marketing and building of their brand. From having the Broke Klubhouse where they sell their clothes but also host events at, to their boot sale tour that they go on road and visit several cities and province in the country to physical sell their clothes to their patrons, bringing the retro selling style back into fashion. Their prices are reasonable and not too hard on the pocket. Being a young independent collective, the challenges of manufacturing and distribution does limit the collection pieces they are able to produce but excited to see how the next 5 years turn out for the collective especially their under-garment pieces.

5. CULTISH

At number five is Cultish, another Cape Town based brand. The clothing brand that launched in 2020 brought in a new aesthetic and style to the South African streetwear scene. Where most brands are more colourful and cheerier, the Cultish brand came with an edge of grunge, street and a sort of dark melancholy vibe with it that really spoke to the rebels and the wild youth of the streets. Collaborating and dressing local music talent also helped them build this brand and deepen their connection with the streets, with them supporting and rooting for the underdogs, and the nonconforming. Only reason they don’t sit higher is that they are pricier than most brands featured with the cheapest t-shirt costing R750 on sale.

4. DEAD.

At number four is Dead. The streetwear brand that has been alive for 9 years now has had its ups and downs. When first arriving on the scene the hype and buzz around it was electrifying with people being drawn to the name and wondering why & what Dead. is. The ‘D.’ became iconic and you’d see it on shirts, shorts and socks around the city. They took a hiatus for some time but returned from the dead better and stronger than ever. Opening their store in Rosebank and releasing pieces like their crossbody bag, cardholder, underwear, sunglasses and most notably their timepieces. Their timepieces are beautiful and had such an impact when they released that most recently; they did a collaboration with, South African footwear brand, Dakotas, where the Dead. timepiece buckles are designed on the Dakotas moccasins. If not for those few years in the lab Dead. would be higher but life is long and they will live forever.

3. ARTCLUB

At number three is Artclub. The third clothing brand based in Cape Town to make it on the list. The clothing brand that was made by artist for artist and the community has accepted and held them with open arms. The quality and range of their collection is done beautiful and of amazing quality. When they say they are for artists, it wasn’t just to sound cool but they’ve embedded that in their clothing, creating pieces that fit the appeal of the working and corporate artist. You can see their intention in every piece they create and release. South African being a rich place of arts and birthing some of the greatest artists in the world, naturally gravitated towards this artistic approach and vision to clothing. Their popularity grew so much that it gained traction throughout the nation of South Africa and this led to them being able to go in partnership and collaboration with Mr.Price on a nationwide campaign that brought Artclub to the masses and allowing them to mass produce their products. This was an important moment for the creative industry showing that there is no such thing as niche just a lack of information and reach.

2. S.W.A.N.K

At number two is S.W.A.N.K. It might be sitting at number two but make no mistake S.W.A.N.K is huge. Having 11 years of experience in the streetwear the brand has always set themselves as trendsetters and trailblazers. Their growth came from the fact that they stitched themselves within the purity of street clothing looking to connect not just with the style and branding but actually being a representation of the South African street culture. They have managed to continuously release collections that are fresh, stylish and cause heads to turn and bloggers to type. Keeping relevant by mixing in street art into their marketing campaigns and clothing designs as well. They have been able to grow with their community and fanbase while still being able to attract new customers and still be a cultural right of passage for the youth. Can you truly say you’re a streetwear or South African fashion hypebeast if you have no S.W.A.N.K in your collection? I don’t think so. They have solidified themselves in the South African streetwear brand and have reached legendary and classic status.

1. GALXBOY

Now before we get into our number one, I just want to mention that the difference between one and two was decided by 0.1, with that said; our number one South African streetwear brand is GalxBoy. The Pretoria born clothing brand was started in 2008 under a different name before officially becoming GalxBoy in 2012. I want to try and explain the hype, craze, buzz and cultural impact of GalxBoy when it first launched onto the scene. I was fortunate enough to be doing my first year at University of Pretoria in 2012 when they opened their first store in Hatfield, right by the Fields. They had the streets in a chokehold with the bright colours and graphic t-shirts that represented the style of 2012 with the skinny jeans and animated fashion. To see their evolution of the last 13 years to where now they are manufacturing; dome bags, tote bags, cardholders & wallets, cross body bags, purses, necklaces, bracelets, sandals, sunglasses and more. They’ve made themselves to standout as a pillar of not just the streetwear culture but the culture of South African youth, especially in the hip-hop culture. This has led to them working and collaborating with brands such as; Rocking the Daisies, McDonalds and Scorpion Kings. From starting at humble begins in Mamelodi to now having 14 stores across the country in 8 of the 9 province of South Africa they are truly the streetwear brand of the South African people. What Thatiso Dube, founder of GalxBoy and more famously known as Vuittots, has been able to create, construct and carry-on building is truly a wonder, inspiration and should be written down in our history books for us to study, document and aspire to.

In conclusion, every has a different style, preference and pockets so this not the definitive list so please do not come for me and family but I doubt you would find a better one. If you think you could create a better top ten, we would love to hear from you, so leave a comment or send us an email. Thank you for reading and stay dripping because the sun is out and you need to stay hydrated.

I would like to preface this with the fact that Jay-Z is my favourite rapper of all time and “Imaginary Players” is one of coolest/flyest rap songs to grace my headphones. Needless to say I love the fact that its getting the love it deserves.

However this love comes with some hate towards the person showing it the highest form of homage. Cardi B released her interpretation of the Hov classic and for some reason some self proclaimed hip hop purists have a lot of backhanded comments towards it which is quite confusing. Look at the effect her song has on Hov’s! Jigga’s 1997 classic has seen a crazy increase in streams which means some new ears are getting hip to the flyness.

Speaking of flyness, Cardi really went Wright borthers with this. Its so refreshing to hear her talk that fly shit and stunt on her competition in a luxurious manner. The gloryhole bar is ice-cold and her buying grown men watches and making them take links out is fire.

This quick rant is just because I don’t get the hate and like for like comparison this song is getting. As a Hov fan I love that she did this. We need to stop gatekeeping classics like this because this stunts their growth and longevity. Referencing and sampling are beautiful ways to preserve culture and flyness. End of rant.

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.”.