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Ashanti's timeless beauty is not for the foolish.

Here's a 22-year-old version of the singer sporting a time-appropriate velour tracksuit and fresh face at the World Music Awards in Monaco back in 2002 (left). This is the same year she released her self-titled debut album that featured the smash hits "Foolish," "Happy" and "Baby."

And, nearly two decades later ... the artist -- who also dabbles in acting and fashion -- was photographed at her long-time friend Fat Joe's birthday party with a stylish top knot and floral gown in NYC last month (right).

We keep on running back to her.

The question is ...

Kim Kardashian looked hell-bent for leather this weekend -- and that's no exaggeration ... she was completely covered up in the material from head to toe (emphasis on the former).

The middle Kardashian sister was out in NYC Saturday, heading into the Ritz Carlton to check in ahead of the Met Gala on Monday. Of course, it's also New York Fashion Week -- and, boy, did KK make a statement with her getup in front of a crush of paps and photogs.

Check it out ... Kim donned black leather from the tip of her scalp to the bottoms of her feet, which included a full face mask -- complete with zippers and a ponytail hole up north.

She was also wearing a black leather trench coat, black pants and black boots to ... well, boot. It was quite an outfit -- and she had all eyeballs on her as she went into the building, not really stopping to chat with anyone. And, frankly, how could she ... she was wrapped up!

This definitely tops her other fashion flex earlier this week, when she stepped out for a birthday dinner in Malibu in yet another black ensemble -- with a trailing cape and sunglasses for good measure. She's got the same color scheme going here ... but with a slight twist. And she seems to be keeping the 'Matrix' vibes going too -- maybe some 'Pulp Fiction' as well.

Also of note ... this is almost in the same vein as Kanye's recent full head masks ... a la 'Donda' listening events and other outings, where the dude is fully hidden from view. Makes ya wonder if she's following in his footsteps, fashion-wise. Hmmm ... 🤔

Pop Smoke's gravesite was found utterly destroyed this weekend -- this after apparent vandals smashed his crypt ... and apparently tried dragging his casket out.

TMZ has obtained photos of what an eyewitness says they stumbled upon Saturday morning at the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY -- where the rapper was buried and laid to rest last year following his murder in early 2020. As you can see ... it's a complete mess.

We're told Pop Smoke's spot on the outer wall of a mausoleum within the grounds seemed to be singled out and horribly vandalized ... with his marble plaque cracked and broken through, almost completely. You can see his full name displayed ... Bashar Barakah Jackson

There was other debris left scattered on the ground ... including what we're told looked like burned and discarded joints, as well as flowers.

The worst part is that there seems to be drag marks left on the ground ... and another shot of what we're told was right across from the mausoleum appears to indicate the perps might've actually gotten into Pop Smoke's tomb ... either pulling something out, or trying to.

The eyewitness tells us this door-looking thing seemed to be a concrete slab that would presumably sit over PS's casket, separating his body from another right above him. The black rectangular object, we're told, also looked to be part of Pop Smoke's wall enclosure.

It's unclear if the casket was still inside or intact ... but we're told the person who found this notified security, who were supposedly unaware of any such vandalism until being told. The eyewitness also tells us that when they returned to the site some hours later ... Pop Smoke's plaque had been replaced with a blank slab, and there was caution tape around the area. Some of the debris had also been cleaned up -- but it was still quite apparent something terrible had happened.

No word on whether PS's plaque will be replaced, and if so ... who exactly pays for it.

We've got calls in to the cemetery, Pop Smoke's family/reps ... as well as cops to see if this has been reported.

A group of gorillas at a Georgia zoo have caught COVID-19 -- and it sounds like a human staffer might've infected them ... including an old-timer silverback who's the most at risk.

Zoo Atlanta reports that at least 13 of their total 20 gorillas are presumptively positive with the SARS-CoV-2 virus -- this after several of them showed symptoms in recent days and got tests run by a local lab ... with more results forthcoming.

The symptoms ranged from runny noses, coughing and changes in appetite ... and samples were collected via nasal swabs, oral swabs and fecal matter. So far, it looks like an outbreak.

The oldest of their gorillas is 60-year-old Ozzie, who's also tested positive. He and the others are being treated with monoclonal antibodies, and will receive the Zoetis vaccine soon -- which is the jab developed for animals, and which several zoos have already administered.

As for how they got sick -- ZA says it believes a care team member that works there -- who proved to be positive after the fact -- might've been responsible for transmitting it ... unwittingly, and not on purpose. They say this worker was fully vaxxed, wearing a ton of PPE and was asymptomatic the day they reported to work when this presumably spread.

Doesn't seem any of the gorillas are deathly ill at this point, but the Zoo is monitoring their condition. They're also letting visitors continue to see them ... as they say it's not possible for animals to give COVID to humans and the built-in viewing distance is safe enough.

One last thing ... Zoo Atlanta says they can't make the gorillas socially distance -- 'cause they kick it in groups (or troops) of 4, and apparently can't be separated.

A Subway worker bravely defended herself while getting robbed at gunpoint -- even successfully disarming the dude and getting him to leave ... and all she got was suspended.

The woman's name is Araceli Sotelo, and she was working at a Rockford, IL Subway location last weekend when a guy brazenly entered and flashed a gun at her, demanding she give him the money on hand in the store ... an encounter that was partially caught on video.

The surveillance cameras in the store were running, and somehow ... the footage got leaked to the local Rockford Scanner -- which watermarked the clips and threw them up on FB.

The footage is wild -- you see Sotelo yelling at the guy to leave and to stop, and then she starts to scuffle with him behind the counter ... and actually gets the upper hand during the confrontation. They spill out into the dining area, and Sotelo amazingly knocks the gun loose.

She rips the robber's sweater off too, and then gets a hold of the firearm ... knocking him upside his head! He flees with just her purse in hand. So, she fended for herself well.

Sotelo says that she was contacted by her manager after this entire ordeal, and was told she wouldn't be working or paid until this video was completely scrubbed from the internet ... something Sotelo says is virtually impossible now. She also denies sending it out in the first place -- although, she has since posted an unwatermarked portion of it on her own TikTok.

Still, the idea that she's being punished for protecting herself (and the store by extension) is being seen as BS by many. She's out of a phone (which got broken in the fight), and everything in her purse, including credit cards and her ID.

Jennifer Lopez knows how to travel in style ... even when she precariously boards a tiny boat!

J Lo was decked out in D&G head to toe as she jumped on a gondola in Venice, Italy, during the Venice International Film Festival. It's part of a fashion shoot that took about an hour and a half.

Jen and Ben have been pretty much inseparable during the trip ... gotta say, both looking amazing as they took in the festival and some sightseeing.

After the shoot, J Lo went back to their hotel, after which she and Ben headed for the airport.

Ben and Jen have been on a world tour, during which they have displayed PDA on multiple continents.

Ben will be heading to Austin soon, to shoot a movie. TMZ broke the story, he rented a luxury condo for the movie shoot and even though it's temporary, he's upgrading the pad. We're told J Lo will be spending a fair amount of time with BF during production.

Ben has also been front and center during at least one of J Lo's projects ... even interacting with the crew during the shoot, so they're not only seriously dating ... they're already involved in each other's business.

Ashton Kutcher was invited to an ESPN set this weekend to share his thoughts on college football -- but all he got in return from the crowd was some harsh advice on his hygiene.

The actor got tapped by the network to be the guest prediction picker ahead of Saturday's slate of games, especially the big Iowa matchup later today between Iowa State and the University of Iowa -- with the latter being Ashton's alma mater.

As soon as AK touched down by jet and was revealed as the big surprise for the broadcast, he got torched by the college crowd that were standing by at Jack Trice Stadium.

They were chanting "Take a shower!" pretty damn loudly ... which the mics on set were picking up and broadcasting while Ashton was being intro'd. Doesn't seem like he heard it right then and there, but don't sweat ... the Cyclone fans had another go at it.

Not too long after, Ashton eventually plopped down on his chair for the pre-game panel ... where he was talking football and charities of his -- and there, too, the "Take a Shower!" chant picked up again. This time, it was way closer ... and Ashton probably heard.

He didn't flinch ... acting as if it didn't bother him. And, who knows ... maybe it doesn't. The guy already made fun of himself over the whole bathing fiasco earlier this summer.

ICYMI ... Ashton and Mila Kunis revealed back in July that they didn't really wash their kids daily, and only threw 'em in the shower as they saw fit, or if they saw noticeable dirt. It sparked a huge debate about kids and cleanliness -- but the Kutchers took it in stride.

Thousands of folks, including 3 presidents, observed a moment of silence at Ground Zero to mark the exact moment when an American Airlines Jet slammed into one of the World Trade Center Twin Towers 20 years ago.

President Joe Biden, along with former Presidents Obama and Clinton, observed a moment of silence as people remembered the life-changing event 2 decades ago.

Nearly 3,000 people died as a result of the terrorist attack ... an assault on America that triggered the war on Afghanistan -- a war that many say went on way too long.

Various family members read the names of those who perished during the attack.

Bruce Springsteen took the podium and sang "I'll See You in My Dreams" as the crowd took it all in.

President Biden will leave New York City and visit the other 2 sites where the other 2 planes went down -- the Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

President Obama has said in the lead-up to the anniversary, "One thing that became clear on 9/11 - and has been clear ever since - is that America has always been home to heroes who run towards danger in order to do what is right."

2 Chainz has made a statement about the fentanyl epidemic that has ripped through Hollywood and the nation, by throwing a "no fent" birthday party for himself.

Chainz is turning 44 Sunday, and he marked the occasion a few days early with his party Friday night.

The party, which went down in Atlanta at the Members Only Lounge, was not exactly drug-free. He posted a vid of bags that appear to be psilocybin mushrooms.

The bash had a theme -- Hippie's in the '70s -- which sounds kinda awesome.

Chainz and his wife, Kesha Ward, posted pics of them in their party getups.

As for the "no fent" theme ... there have been a rash of fentanyl-related deaths recently. TMZ broke the story, comedians Fuquan Johnson, Rico Angeli and Natalie Williamson all died of a suspected accidental fentanyl OD last week in Venice, California.

And, 16-year-old Logan Williams, who starred in "The Flash," died last year from an accidental fentanyl OD.

Michael K. Williams was found dead last Monday in his Brooklyn apartment, and authorities found drug paraphernalia at the scene. Authorities believe the death was heroin-related and toxicology tests are being run to determine, among other things, if fentanyl was involved.

Tiffany Haddish got emotional with us talking about her friends she lost to fentanyl-related OD's.

"Intervention" host Ken Seeley told us on "TMZ Live" this week how fentanyl hooks people who use drugs and how it takes many of their lives because of its extreme toxicity.

Mick Brigden, a mainstay in the music industry whose work included tour manager for the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan, has died.

Mick's wife says her husband was digging a grave for their dog at their home in Santa Rosa, CA when he suffered a medical emergency and was rushed to a hospital, where he died.

The cause of death has not been disclosed.

Mick began his career as a concert promoter and worked with Van Morrison, Joe Satriani, Humble Pie, Peter Frampton and Carlos Santana. He was one of the founders of Wolfgang Records, which released multiple albums by Eddie Money, including his first, self-titled album in 1977.

Outside of music management, Brigden had a passion for winemaking, supplying grapes grown in his Northern California vineyard to make an exclusive Owl Ridge cabernet.

This has been a rough period for the Stones and Stones fans. Charlie Watts, the group's one-and-only drummer for 6 decades, died last month.

As for Brigden ... he's survived by his wife of 34 years, Julia, son Jack, stepdaughter Jessica and grandson David.

Mick was 73.

RIP

Diddy is snatching up more property on Miami's exclusive Star Island -- TMZ has learned he's the mystery buyer who dropped a huge sum on Gloria and Emilio Estefan's mansion.

According to sources and property records ... Diddy threw down a cool $35 million for the former Estefan estate on Star Island, which the couple bought way back in 1993 for only $1,840,000. How 'bout that return on investment?!?

TMZ broke the story ... Gloria and Emilio unloaded the mansion back in July and got top dollar on their investment, but we didn't know who the new owner was.

Diddy now has plenty of room to shake his body and do that "Conga" -- the property is nearly 8,000 square feet with 6 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms, and it sits on a corner lot with waterfront views of the downtown Miami skyline.

Oh and there's also a 2-story guest house with 3 bedrooms, a spacious living room and its own killer views.

Diddy's kinda playing Miami Monopoly here ... we're told he also owns the property next door, which he purchased in 2003. It's unclear if he plans to combine both properties.

The woman who claimed she got kicked off an Alaska Airlines flight because she was too fat has been doing some self-reflection... and now she's going under the knife to slim down.

Manager of Ray Lin Howard, Gina Rodriguez,  tells TMZ … ever since last week's incident, Ray Lin's felt uncomfortable and judged every time she gets dressed and goes out in public, and now she's making a change.

We're told she's traveling to Beverly Hills next week to get gastric sleeve surgery to remove the majority of her stomach ... and her goal is to go from 350 lbs. to about 160.

As we reported ... Ray Lin claims she got kicked off an Alaska Airlines flight for wearing a revealing outfit, and says she was also harassed and discriminated against because of her weight. She described the incident as the worst example of "fatphobia" she's ever encountered.

Donald Trump's making millions calling the boxing match on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, and Howard Stern is fed up with the unvaccinated and isn't gonna take it anymore!!! So, we gotta ask ...

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks ... and the man who caught President Bush's ceremonial pitch before World Series game 3 in NYC says #43 sent him a letter this week, commemorating the powerful moment.

TMZ Sports talked to former New York Yankees catcher Todd Greene -- who was Jorge Posada's backup at the time -- about that unforgettable October night in the Bronx, only 49 days after 9/11, when GWB fired a strike from the mound, symbolizing America's resolve.

"I get the same feeling too when you think back to that moment and how electric the stadium was that night and just what it meant for our President Bush to walk out on the field and as a symbol of strength, as a symbol of healing, as a symbol of unity for our country which is really, really important," Greene, who played 11 seasons in the big leagues, tells us.

"To hear the USA chants and then have President Bush give the thumbs up on top of the mount -- it was, again like you said, it will get the hairs standing on your arms now."

Of course, baseball season was in full swing when the terrorist attacks happened ... and the sport played a critical role in bringing back a sense of normalcy to America.

The 2 most unforgettable moments were Mike Piazza's go-ahead home run against the Braves 10 days after 9/11 ... and of course, Bush's pitch.

It'll never be forgotten.

The Yankees ended up winning the game (down 2 games to none, they had to), behind a strong performance from Roger Clemens, 2-1.

Greene -- who wasn't even supposed to be the catcher who caught the pitch -- says he hasn't spoken to Bush over the years, but did receive a letter in the mail on Wednesday from the former president.

"He sent me a personalized letter that I just received yesterday. President Bush saying how much that moment meant for him and that he was honored, well not honored, I was honored to be on the field with him at the time and just in remembrance of that moment."

Steve-O is literally LOL over Bam Margera's lawsuit against 'Jackass' producers, and says the legal battle has nothing to do with why the new movie's release has been delayed.

We got Steve-O at LAX and asked him why "Jackass Forever" is now dropping on February 4, 2022 ... instead of the originally planned date this October. Fans have been speculating it's because of Bam's pending lawsuit against Johnny Knoxville, the 'Jackass' team and Paramount Pictures.

The studio has said it's due to the rising COVID cases, but conspiracy-loving fans online called BS, and kept pushing the Bam theory. Well, Steve-O's doubling down on the company line, and his reaction to Bam's lawsuit might finally convince fans.

He couldn't hold back, and laughed off the case. In fact, he has just one word to describe it. As we reported ... Bam sued, saying he was forced to sign an agreement he claims amounted to psychological torture.

Steve-O had previously said the reason Bam's not in the fourth installment of the 'Jackass' franchise is that he couldn't stay sober. But now ... a lawsuit? Steve-O's baffled, to say the least.

Andre Royo -- one of Michael K. Williams' co-stars on "The Wire" -- says the entire 'Wire' family is feeling the loss ... but he's encouraging people to keep spreading the late actor's positivity.

Andre -- who played the drug addict and informant "Bubbles" on the popular HBO series -- was out in NYC Friday when he reflected on Michael's life ... saying he was someone who cared about everybody.

Royo tells us Williams' death was a stunner, but he hopes people will rally together to keep his name alive, remember his work, and shine his light ... because his former co-star was a great person, and clearly left a major impact.

As we reported ... Williams -- who played the beloved character Omar on "The Wire" before going on to star on several other hit shows -- was found dead Monday of an apparent overdose in his Brooklyn apartment.