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Cardi B didn't perform at the VMAs, but she DID drop some bars at an afterparty ... and it was all new music. Cardi was feeling herself as she rapped on stage at Tao NYC ... throwing some major shade at Nicki Minaj in the process.

With baby daddy Offset hugging on her, Cardi B busted out some new lyrics ... 'I know how to do it / Get a bag, don't I / I know how to get a b**** mad' ... pretty clear she's referencing Nicki.

The shots didn't stop there.

In another new track, Cardi B raps ... 'I'm the queen of talking sh*t / yeah I'm backing it up / yeah, back, back, backing it up' ... that's another clear swipe at Nicki and her new album, 'Queen.'

Cardi then celebrated winning 3 awards by making a pit stop at McDonalds for a delicious treat.

Cardi pretty clearly shaded Nicki Minaj when she called herself "empress" during her speech. Nicki not only thinks of herself as the queen ... as we showed you, she actually thinks she's Harriet Tubman, something that has outraged non-fans and, frankly, even some of her diehard fans. Between Travis Scott, Kylie and now Cardi, Nicki had no place to safely turn in the venue.

Cardi B just showed up to the VMAs -- her first public event since giving birth last month -- and the rapper looks incredible.

CB arrived to Radio City Music Hall Monday evening in NYC rockin' a beautiful purple gown and a sweet new pixie cut. Oh, and her post-baby body is absolutely on point.

Believe it or not, Cardi just popped out baby Kulture a little over a month ago ... and it's clear she's snapped right back.

We broke the story ... Cardi will be opening the televised show in just a few minutes -- not with a musical performance, but with either a monologue or skit of some sort.

Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez continued their PDA-fest after the MTV VMAs ... dancing on each other at a NY hot spot and TMZ Sports has the video!

J Lo was honored with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the show -- one of the biggest moments of the night.

Lopez performed a medley of hits including "Ain't It Funny" and "I'm Real" with Ja Rule -- while A-Rod watched gleefully from the crowd.

In fact, there was a hilarious gif of Alex's face lighting up as he watched J Lo twerk her ass off during the performance.

After the show, the couple hit up Beauty and Essex in New York City -- where they continued to dance the night away together while the DJ played some of Jen's hits ... along with other hip-hop classics.

Lopez even rapped along to a Cardi B song while the crowd cheered her on.

Winning the MJ Video Vanguard Award is a big deal -- J Lo now joins an elite group with the likes of David Bowie, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Rihanna, Janet Jackson and more.

Jenny arrived to the show with her two kids -- but put them to bed before she hit the after-party.

Hey, mama's gotta let loose!

Kevin Hart came out strong against Donald Trump at the MTV VMAs on Monday -- telling the President straight-up, "Suck it."

Hart was presenting the first award of the night with Tiffany Haddish -- and set the tone early, saying, "You never know what's gonna happen at the VMAs. Beefs pop off, bad language, people run to the bathroom and send out crazy tweets. It’s basically like a typical day in the White House."

Then he dropped the hammer -- "In your face Trump, suck it!"

It didn't stop there -- he then put the NFL in the crosshairs.

"We are live coast to coast right now," Hart said ... "I'm looking at this like it's game day people. But do not worry, cause at this game you guys are allowed to kneel! You can do whatever the hell you want, 'cause there's no old white man that can stop you. Do it!"

Jon Stewart came to the rescue of two stray goats found roaming the subway tracks of New York City this week by giving them a home at his animal rescue operation ... no joke!

The former 'Daily Show' host posted a video of himself Monday helping load up the sidetracked livestock, which were spotted by a train operator along the N line in Brooklyn. Cops were called and officers were able to safely tranquilize the animals to remove them.

No word on where exactly these two billy goats gruff came from -- or where the third one might be -- but Stewart stepped in to offer them a place to stay -- his Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, NY, which he owns with his wife. He also saved a runaway cow a couple years back.

A 37-year-old Asia Argento snuggled with then-17-year-old Jimmy Bennett on a bed, shirtless, their foreheads pressed together, her arm over his as they lay with satisfied smiles ... that is the photo that Asia paid $380,000 for -- a photo TMZ has now seen.

The photo was taken on May 9, 2013 in a room at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Marina del Rey, California. Our sources say the selfie was shot by Jimmy after the 2 had sex. Jimmy claimed Asia liquored him up, began kissing him, pushed him onto the bed, performed oral sex on him and then climbed on top of him and had intercourse ... this according to documents obtained by the New York Times.

The photo is not overtly sexual, however a casual observer would clearly conclude it looks like a post-sex pic as the 2 faintly smiled while they lay on a shared pillow.

Asia -- who is one of the first alleged victims to come forward claiming Harvey Weinstein raped her -- has not been reachable since the recent story broke. What's interesting ... she still has up the Instagram pictures of her at the Ritz-Carlton that day ... saying in one photo, "Waiting for my long lost son my love."

We also have information as to why Asia did not have Jimmy sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) in return for paying $380k. Fact is, she couldn't, because in California confidentiality agreements are not enforceable when they involve allegations of child sex acts ... even if the victim is now an adult.

Weinstein's lawyer, Ben Brafman, lashed out at Argento, saying it was the height of hypocrisy for her to secretly cut a deal involving her own alleged sexual misconduct at the same time she was going after his client. She settled her case with Jimmy in April.

Animal Crackers are now FREE ... from their cages, that is.

It took 116 years, but the packaging of Barnum's Animals no longer depicts the exotic creatures in pens.

Nabisco's popular snack now features a zebra, an elephant, a lion, a giraffe and a gorilla roaming free among grass and trees.

Previously, packaging showed animals and their young locked up in cages.

The stark change has been driven by PETA. In April 2016, the animal rights organization gave notice to Nabisco's parent company, Mondelez International, saying circuses would shock, chain, beat and whip animals in order to intimidate them and force them into performing tricks.

PETA also brought to light dubious practices like circuses separating mothers from their babies and holding animals in chains and cages.

Circuses across the country have also been undergoing change. Ringling Bros. shut down in May 2017 after 146 years in operation, the result of mounting pressure from animal welfare groups, skyrocketing operation costs, legal battles and declining ticket sales.

Nicki Minaj isn't just comparing herself to Harriet Tubman -- she's now saying she IS Harriet Tubman ... just new and improved.

We got the "QUEEN" MC leaving her hotel Monday night on her way to the VMAs at Radio City Music Hall, where our camera guy asked about a new controversy swarming around Nick from a tweet she put out earlier in the day ... conjuring Harriet's name, and drawing comparisons.

Some Twitter fans were furious Nicki insinuated she was in the same league as Harriet, although Nicki never explicitly compared herself to the civil rights icon. Until now, that is. Our photog has her on camera saying it straight-up ... "I am the new Harriet Tubman."

We press her to make sure she knew what she's saying, and the implications of her remarks -- which are certainly shocking. She pushes right back, insisting she is the next Harriet Tubman. You do you, Nick?

BTW ... we also got Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner heading to the VMAs, and asked if they were gonna try to squash the beef Nicki started on Sunday. They were mum on all that ... but we're guessing that whole mess will sort itself out in the stands.

We got 50 Cent out after the VMA's and asked him what he thought about the Harriet Tubman reference and he was ... guarded.

The 2018 VMAs were out of this world, and you can tell by just how damn happy everyone was behind the scenes.

Radio City Music Hall was lit up with A-listers Monday night during MTV's signature award show, and based on what we're seeing here ... it was kinda the Cardi B/Ariana Grande/Jennifer Lopez show heading inside. They definitely took up a lot of the spotlight.

Cardi was radiating in her purple gown just over a month after giving birth, and AG was showing plenty of PDA with her fiance, Pete Davidson. As for J Lo ... well, she was just being J Lo with A-Rod. 'Nuff said.

Tyga's soaking up life in the single lane ... and that's why there's ZERO chance he'll get back with his ex, Blac Chyna.

Sources close to the rapper tell TMZ ... Tyga and BC didn't know they were going to the same event over the weekend. The bash was a birthday party for one of Tyga's business partners ... someone Chyna also knows.

Thing is ... Tyga and Chyna never interacted the entire time they were at the Meatpacking District hot spot, Catch NYC. We're told they also never spoke when the after-party moved over to Marquee.

Sources say Tyga wants to keep things with BC exactly how they are now -- with their previous relationship in the rearview mirror.

The man who shot and killed John Lennon will have his 10th parole board hearing this week ... and TMZ has just obtained his latest mug shot.

Mark David Chapman -- who shot the Beatles member in front of Lennon's Manhattan apartment in 1980 -- has been serving 20 years to life after pleading guilty to 2nd degree murder.

Now 63 years old, Chapman will go before a parole board in New York sometime this week in a closed hearing ... and a decision will be announced in the coming weeks.

MDC has been denied parole 9 times since December of 2000.

Chapman shot Lennon 4 times in front of his wife, Yoko Ono in December, 1980 at the famed Dakota apartment building near New York City's Central Park ... and later admitted to planning the killing because he wanted to be famous.

He's been in prison since 1981.

Mac Miller has officially been slapped with a DUI charge after his scary accident earlier this year ... TMZ has learned.

The L.A. City Attorney's Office filed charges against Mac stemming from his May car wreck. He's facing two counts of DUI -- one for driving under the influence and another for driving with a BAC at 0.08 or higher. He wasn't charged with hit and run, for which he was originally booked.

We broke the story ... MM was arrested in May for DUI and hit and run after cops found his 2016 G-Wagon smashed against a utility pole in the San Fernando Valley. Based on video of the scene, it's a miracle Mac wasn't seriously hurt ... 'cause it was bad.

Cops say they showed up to Mac's house after the fact and had him use a breathalyzer ... we're told he blew twice the legal limit. Officers cuffed him and hauled him off to jail, but did note he was incredibly polite.

If convicted ... he faces up to 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine ... but that's only theoretical -- almost every first offender gets off with probation, community service and a license suspension.

It's been a rough year for the dude ... his DUI arrest -- and now subsequent charges -- follows a breakup with Ariana Grande ... who's now engaged to Pete Davidson.

Pat Houston says she and her family have no animus toward Max Lomas, a close friend of Bobbi Kristina's who himself died of a drug overdose last week.

We got Pat Monday on her way into LAX ... and Bobbi's aunt was remorseful and saddened by Max's passing -- last week he was found unresponsive on a bathroom floor with a syringe near his body.

As we reported ... Max played a big role in the mystery surrounding Bobbi Kristina's death. Lomas found Whitney Houston's daughter in her bathtub on the verge of death, and was often seen with Bobbi and her BF, Nick Gordon, in the days leading up to the incident.

Post Malone just got a few more new tats on his mug, but says he isn't responsible for kids following suit and getting ink on their face ... although there is someone at fault.

We got the "Beerbongs & Bentleys" rapper Monday in NYC where he was explaining what goes into the decision to get tatted up on the kisser. Sounds like it's a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing, usually on the heels of a ton of booze. Aren't the best decisions made that way?

We also ask if he thinks he's to blame for a bunch of kids getting face tattoos lately, but he's adamant he's not the one to pin this on. He says the first guy to do it has to take the fall.

Jimmy Butler had himself one helluva Monday -- squashing beef with Dwyane Wade and going on a lunch date with a smokin' hot Instagram model ... and TMZ Sports has the video.

First, D-Wade ...

Everyone saw Dwyane clap back at Jimmy last week when the Minnesota Timberwolves star commented "WELL DAMN" on a hot photo of Wade's wife, Gabrielle Union.

Wade wrote to Butler, "Put well damn in caps on my wife photo again and you’re gonna see what the good, the bad and the ugly is like."

So, when we saw Butler at The Ivy in L.A. we had to ask if there was real smoke between the two. Butler answered and seemed to put the whole thing to bed.

Speaking of bed ... Butler's lunch date was an absolute dime -- and while he tried to play coy when leaving the restaurant, we ID'd her as famous Instagram model India Love.

Love is an aspiring rapper who's been romantically linked to stars like The Game, Rick Ross and Drake. She's basically a she-pimp (get it, gurl!) with 3.7 million IG followers.

No word if she and Butler are an item -- but we wouldn't hate if they were!