Candidates for the coolest congregate as youth has its say

● A couple of hours before sipping on that costly century-old cognac, I found out what kids think is awesome at this year’s Sunday Times Generation Next youth survey.

Held at the Sandton Convention Centre, the awards for top-performing brands including celebs were a culmination of a conference and an interactive showcase. Among the throng of young ones — and marketers hoping for approval — I say hello to Tebogo Thekisho, who you will know as rapper and Idols presenter ProVerb.

ProVerb, there with his squeeze, Liesl Laurie, was keeping fingers crossed that the reality-TV show he also produces would come up trumps for a second year in a row. Meanwhile, that supercool comedy couple, Tol Ass Mo and Mome, also turn up, not for a gong but at the insistence of their offspring, TK, 14, and Khumo, 4, who are huge fans of the event.

In the foyer, about to head into the awards, I see singer Babes Wodumo for the first time since those allegations that she was abused by former fiancé and manager Mampintsha emerged last month.

I ask the queen of gqom how she’s holding up, to which she replies in typical Babes-speak: “I’m a strongbow.”

Certain that she hadn’t thought I’d asked about her favourite cider, we discuss the incredible support she’s received throughout her ordeal, with the singer telling me: “Even the president called me.” You can read elsewhere in this paper about who scored top marks in the youth survey, but I can tell you that ProVerb was thrilled to find that Idols hasn’t lost its pull, getting the nod for coolest reality-TV show, while SABC1’s Uzalo won coolest TV soap. Cristiano Ronaldo is the coolest international celeb, Siphiwe Tshabalala came up tops as local sportsperson, Black Coffee as DJ, and Babes went home knowing that, for the second year in a row, she is the coolest local female celeb.

The highlight of the awards, though, was when Nasty C took the title of coolest local music star and got the crowd up on their feet as he performed a few of his tunes.

ProVerb and Liesl Laurie. Far left, Babes Wodumo

Pictures: John Liebenberg Tol Ass Mo, his wife, Mome, and their children, TK and Khumo, who insisted that the family come to the event. Right, Nasty C.