Video Music Awards

Jennifer Lopez and Casper Smart insist they're not back together, and Sunday night at the VMAs ... they went through great lengths to show they aren't ... which totally means they are.

As TMZ first reported, despite being photographed together last week ... her people swear they're leading separate lives and just friends.

So J.Lo and Casper walked the VMA red carpet separately, sat separately at the VMAs (except for a quick reunion for candy) and each showed up at Mastro's following the show ... but left separately.

Where there's smoke ...

TMZ has obtained video showing Suge Knight shortly after he was hit by 6 bullets ... and he's surrounded by cops with their guns drawn.

In the video ... Suge can be seen on his knees, crouched behind a white Bentley parked outside 1Oak nightclub ... and appears to be in distress -- although the gunshot wounds are not obvious.

Witnesses tell us he sought protection behind the car as other people fled the club ... where Chris Brown had been hosting a VMA party.

Jennifer Lopez and Casper Smart REUNITED at the MTV VMAs ... if only for a quick second ... when the dancer made J.Lo an offer she couldn't refuse -- Skittles.

Despite the fact they were sitting in different sections, Casper made his way over to Jennifer's section during a commercial break with a sugary peace offering ... and the whole thing was captured on the VMA livestream.

As we previously reported, the two were spotted out together earlier this week -- despite the fact they recently broke up.

Nicki Minaj's would be "Anaconda" co-star -- the snake that bit a dancer during Friday's rehearsal -- did not get the chance to strike a second time … and TMZ got the shot of the reptile getting 86'd just hours before the VMAs.

Sources at VMA rehearsals tell us the offending python was at the L.A. Forum today -- just in case Nicki, her team and MTV felt comfortable going forward with the performance as planned.

But we're told the final decision was made to cut the snake a few hours before show time, and handlers loaded the rejected serpent into a container and unceremoniously removed it from the premises.

Sometimes showbiz bites.

This video puts you right in the middle of SHOTS FIRED at the VMA pre-party early Sunday morning.

There is clearly a lot of commotion before the shots ring out. We're told a fight had broken out and it's clear from the video people were going at it.

It sounds like there are 4 quick shots ... and then a 5th. But we're told by Suge Knight's family he was shot 6 times. So the number of shots is unclear.

BTW ... you can't see it in the video, but eyewitnesses tell us during the shooting Chris stood there with arms outstretched, trying to look invincible.

Cops are focusing on beef between gang members that triggered the nightclub shooting that landed Suge Knight in an ICU with multiple bullet wounds ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

We're told cops are interested in a common denominator with Chris Brown, Suge and Game -- Bloods affiliation.

Eyewitnesses tell us Brown was throwing up gang signs before the shooting inside 1OAK early Sunday and he was performing with a red bandana -- the Bloods' moniker.

Game -- who got in a fight outside 1OAK before the shooting because they wouldn't let him in -- is a known and proud member of the Bloods. His album is called Blood Money.

As for Suge ... one of the most notorious things about him is his Bloods affiliation.

And we know ... cops are interested in this -- there were several known gang bangers surrounding Chris at the time of the shooting.

5:45 AM PT -- Suge is out of surgery … according to family sources. We're told Suge was shot 6 times. He's currently in ICU, but is expected to recover.

Shots rang out at 1OAK nightclub in West Hollywood at around 1:30 AM Sunday ... and Suge Knight was shot twice and taken to the hospital by ambulance where he was rushed into surgery ... eyewitnesses and Suge's family tell TMZ.

A source close to Suge tells us ... he was shot in the stomach and arm and apparently in other places as well.

Tyson Beckford, Robert Ri'chard and Apple de Ap all tell TMZ ... they were inside the pre-VMA party hosted by Chris Brown when they heard 4 shots ring out inside the club.

Suge walked out on his own power ... a cop spotted him and walked the rap mogul to the police car where Suge sat. Suge was then put in an ambulance and taken to a local hospital.

We do not know the seriousness of Suge's injuries. Multiple sources now tell us Suge was one of 3 people who were shot. At least 1 is in critical condition. Sheriff's deputies had guns drawn as clubgoers exited with their hands in the air right after the shooting.

The night started with tension. An hour-and-a-half before the shots, Game came to the club and he and his buddies got into an altercation with security guards ... there was a full-on fight. Game tried to get in, was denied and left, but his buddies stayed behind. We do not know if they were involved in the altercation.

MTV wanted to make it clear ... it wasn't their party ... it's was Chris Brown's.

Chris Brown is batting 1 for 2 ... he hosted a party hours before the 1OAK bullet fest and no one got shot.

Chris, Justin Bieber and other celebs were celebrating VMA weekend at an L.A. mansion. As far as we can see Suge Knight wasn't there.

Likewise ... there's no evidence Justin was at 1OAK when shots were fired later in the evening.

A 6-foot long snake -- believed to be an anaconda -- just bit a dancer during a VMA run-through for Sunday's show ... TMZ has learned.

Nicki Minaj was on stage performing her hit, "Anaconda" when a female dancer was bit by the reptile in front of everyone.

We're told the dancer has just been taken to the hospital where she's being treated.

Anacondas are non-venomous snakes but often transmit bacteria that can lead to serious infections.

The snake was removed from the stage in a container.

No Kanye needed this time, because during a radio interview yesterday Taylor Swift cut her own self off -- after the DJ repeatedly asked her about the VMA incident against her wishes.

It's all anyone cares about this week, but apparently the West situation wasn't a pre-approved "talking point" for her visit to the MJ Morning Show. After briefly addressing the controversy, Swift was done -- but the DJ wasn't.

The dude kept pressing the issue as Taylor told him three times to stop -- then her handlers stepped in and stopped the interview completely.

This is the same DJ who interviewed Miley Cyrus in June -- with the same result.

Kanye West has finally made the call.

Moments after Taylor Swift told the ladies of "The View" that as of this morning, Kanye hadn't called to apologize ... guess who decided to pick up the phone?

Reps at "The View" claim Kanye rang up Taylor right after she finished her segment and offered a big, fat apology for stealing her moment at the MTV VMAs this weekend.

Of course, Swift reportedly accepted the apology.

It all went down Sunday night outside a VMA afterparty at 1 Oak -- the cop forcefully instructed Diddy to keep moving on the sidewalk ... to which the record mogul replied, "Lower your f**king voice when you're talking to me ... I'm a man just like you."

The cop then yelled back at Diddy, "I don't give a f**k who you are."

Diddy turned and shouted back, "I don't give a f**k who you are either mother f**ker!"

The two men continued to yell at each other until Diddy's entourage ripped him away.

According to MTV, Diddy eventually made it into the club. He later Twittered "I'm gonna say this, we should always have respect for each other! End of discussion" -- but it's unclear whether he was addressing this situation or the one between Kanye and Taylor Swift.

Swift was on "The View" just moments ago and says she was "rattled" by West's stage rush ... but added she would be willing to meet and call a truce.

As soon as the VMAs ended, Beyonce Knowles wasted no time distancing herself from Kanye West's infamous hissy fit -- we're told Bey's camp almost "immediately" approached Taylor Swift to make sure she was okay.

Taylor's rep tells us Beyonce's father Mathew Knowles approached Taylor outside her dressing room once her subway car performance was over.

We're told Mathew wanted to make sure Taylor was doing fine after West's diss -- and they even discussed ways to make up for it.

Taylor's rep tells us the singer was mainly upset because she wasn't able to thank her fans for voting for her -- which was eventually made right when Beyonce invited her back on stage to finish what she started.

Taylor's reps tell us she had never met Beyonce or Kanye before the last night's weirdness went down.

Before boarding a plane at JFK, West was asked about hijacking Taylor Swift's moment ... and for the first time in his life, had nothing to say.

Kanye West needs to stop. Seriously.

After Taylor Swift -- who is just 19 years old, mind you -- won the award for Best Female Video at the VMAs, Kanye rushed the stage, took the mic from her and proclaimed Beyonce had "one of the best videos of all-time."

For her part, Beyonce looked completely mortified by Kanye's childish actions.