Pretoria rapper Loatinover Pounds has opened up about the reason behind his decision to stop rapping primarily in English and embrace Spitori in his music.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Agenda on YFM, the rapper reflected on how the COVID-19 lockdown period influenced the direction of his career and helped him better understand the kind of music that resonated with his audience.
According to Loatinover Pounds, spending more time with his friends during lockdown played a significant role in shaping his perspective. He explained that while they often rapped in English, many of the people around them struggled to fully connect with the messages being conveyed because the topics were sometimes abstract and distant from their everyday experiences. He said, “During Lockdown I was able to spend most of my time with the homies and that’s when I realised that when we rap in English, they don’t understand us because we’re talking about things that are abstract so when we speak in Spitori, we talk about things that are really happening.”
As someone from Pretoria, Loatinover Pounds grew up around Spitori, a popular urban slang language commonly spoken in and around the city. Spitori blends elements of several languages, including Setswana, Sepedi, IsiZulu, Tsotsitaal, and English, and is widely used in everyday conversations across many townships in Gauteng. Its local roots and familiar expressions have made it an important part of Pretoria’s cultural identity, particularly among young people.
The rapper said that this realization led him to consider using Spitori more frequently in his music. He noted that when artists rap in Spitori, they tend to discuss situations and experiences that people encounter in their daily lives, making the content more relatable to listeners. He continued, “That part made people relate to my music more and after I started rapping in Spitori, that’s when I could tell Kasi stories.”
He revealed that switching to Spitori allowed him to tell authentic township stories in a way that felt natural and familiar. The language became a tool through which he could communicate experiences from his community while remaining true to his background and environment.
During the interview, Loatinover Pounds also pointed out that a large number of South Africans understand Spitori. He estimated that nearly half of the country is familiar with the language, which gave him confidence in the decision to continue creating music in that style. He added, “I noticed there’s maybe half of the country that understands Spitori so I was like I’m comfortable rapping in Spitori because I know they got my back.”
The rapper said he felt comfortable rapping in Spitori because he believed there was already a strong audience that understood and supported the language. That support, combined with the ability to tell stories that reflected real-life experiences, encouraged him to continue developing his sound in that direction.
Loatinover Pounds has become one of the notable voices to emerge from Pretoria’s music scene, with his use of Spitori helping him connect with listeners through stories rooted in everyday township life.
