Hotness in the News by SociaLifeChicago is your daily intel for the morning’s hot news topics to get your day started. Make small talk, better.

ENTERTAINMENT

• Taylor Swift has donated $250,000 to Kesha to help fund her battle to get out of her SONY contract with Dr. Luke after Friday’s ruling by a New York City judge denying Kesha’s preliminary injunction that would release her from her contract and allow her to record other music; she sued him in 2014 for ongoing abuse, including drugging and raping her…
•American Black Film Festival (ABFF) and BET celebrated the first annual “ABFF Awards: A Celebration of Hollywood” last night at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles and will air on BET and Centric Feb. 23. Hosted by comedian Mike Epps, honorees include Regina King, Don Cheadle, director Ryan Coogler (Creed), Diahann Carroll and producer Will Packer. In attendance were Kerry Washington, Salli Richardson and Dondre Whitfield, Pharrell Williams, Nia Long, Robert Downey Jr, Octavia Spencer, Jamie Foxx…
• New England Patriots football star Rob Gronkowski’s Gronk’s Party Ship set sail over the weekend with Chicago DJ Dante the Don at the helm and Gronk reportedly offered a couple $10,000 ‘to bang in front of everybody.’ Attendees have uploaded photos and vids on instagram with #gronkspartyship.

KALAMAZOO

Investigators are looking into the motive of Jason Brian Dalton, an Uber driver who went on a shooting spree in Kalamazoo, Mich., that killed six people over the weekend; he is due to be arraigned in court today. Though he doesn’t have a criminal history and he passed Uber’s background checks, Dalton opened fire, apparently at random, in parking lots outside an apartment building, a car dealership and at a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Kalamazoo. It’s been reported that Uber apparently never meets with all potential drivers in person.

SNIPPETS

• The Pounds Sterling is taking its biggest loss in almost six years against the dollar after London’s Mayor Boris Johnson said he would support the campaign for the British exit- Brexit-from the European Union which is at odds with views of Prime Minister David Cameron….
• Jeb is out, Hillary and Bernie fight on. Trump won SC, Rubio is gunning for Wall Street Donors, Kasich and Carson are hanging on and they are all getting ready for Super Tuesday. Candidates Updates.
 

FASHION

1.) The 2016 LVMH Prize Semifinalists has been announced and the 2 up and coming American designers shortlisted are Brandon Maxwell of his namesake brand and Matthew Williams of Alyx. 2) CEO of Kering, Francois-Henri Pinault, is not for the new see now-buy now fashion calendar noting it “negates the dream” of luxury and that waiting for the pieces “creates desire” for labels. Kerning’s label Gucci’s  latest financial results saw a better-than-expected 5% rise in sales for the final three months of 2015. 3) London Fashion Week began Saturday with showings from TopShop, Erdem, Mary Katrantzou, Emilia Wickstead.

“Greatness comes from fear. Fear can either shut us down and we go home, or we fight through it.” ― Lionel Richie.

LOOK OF THE DAY
Kerry Washington

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