She's spent much of the summer revelling in the joys of first-time motherhood, following the birth of her daughter Kulture Kiari almost six weeks ago.
And Cardi B made her return to the spotlight in hilarious style on Monday night, when she hit the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards — held at New York City's Radio Music Hall — carrying a wrapped-up bundle that she pretended to breastfeed.
However, fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the 25-year-old Bodak Yellow hitmaker's offspring were left disappointed, when she unwrapped the fluffy pink blanket to reveal that she was, in fact, just carrying an MTV Moon Man trophy.
Big tease: Cardi B teased her fans on Monday night, when she hit the stage at the MTV Video Music Awards — held at New York City's Radio City Music Hall — pretending to breastfeed
The star — real name Belcalis Almanzar — hit the stage in style, stepping out in a breathtaking tapered satin red gown, which featured a long train and a deeply plunging sweetheart neckline.
And while the beauty was dazzling with her post-baby glow, all eyes were on the little pink bundle she was holding onto, as she teased: 'I got a little surprise for you.'
'I’m the Empress. The liberals voted for me. It’s a full house, everybody’s here! No wonder my internet is slow I got no service,' she told the star-studded audience.
Kulture shock! All eyes were on the star as she opened the show carrying the bundle, almost six weeks after she gave birth to her first child, daughter Kulture Kiari
Eager: Fans were eagerly waiting to see Cardi reveal Kulture at the glittering awards show
Surprise! Speaking to the crowd, the wife off rapper Offset untraveled the blanket to reveal an MTV Moon Man trophy
Assistance: The beauty's ensemble featured a long train which required the help of her entourage to walk down the stairs
And, after an extended moment of holding the bundle to her chest, giving the impression she was breastfeeding, the wife off rapper Offset eventually unravelled the blanket to reveal that she was, in fact, just carrying a shiny silver trophy.
Her ensemble of choice for the stage differed to the one she arrived in, as she cut the customised pink carpet in an off-the-shoulder cerise frock that drew attention to her post-baby physique and ample cleavage.
Cardi's gown featured a risque slit and she paired the look with matching heels, while her brunette locks were styled into a sleek pixie cut and her makeup was kept radiant and luminous.
Cardi also took home the award for Best New Artist and Best Collaboration (for her track Dinero with Jennifer Lopez and DJ Kahlid) on Monday night.
She's back! She returned to the spotlight for the first time since welcoming Kulture Kiari earlier in the evening, when she hit the customised pink carpet in style
Gorgeous! She led the red carpet glamour in an off-the-shoulder cerise frock that drew attention to her post-baby physique and ample cleavage
Making an entrance: The Bodak Yellow songstress' gown featured a risque slit and she paired the look with matching heels
After struggling to manoeuvre from her seat to across the stage to collect the award, with a bit of help from her entourage, she claimed her prize from presenter Millie Bobby Brown.
Thanking her fans, she also gave a shoutout to the haters that told her she wouldn't be able to continue creating music once she became a mother.
'I carried a baby, I had a baby, and I'm still winning awards,' she celebrated.
Cardi was also spotted during the televise snuggling up to Offset as well as posing with Latin singer Maluma.
She had switched into a busty black mini-dress draped with massive frills by the time she hit the stage with Jennifer Lopez and DJ Khaled.
Happy days: Her brunette locks were styled into a sleek pixie cut and her makeup was kept radiant and luminous
Miss her? She effortlessly wowed as she basked in her return to the glitzy showbiz world
Fashion-forward: Cardi's dress featured a low and revealing front and a longer and more conservative back
New parents: Cardi and husband Offset welcomed baby Kulture Kiari nearly six weeks ago
The trio were collecting the gong for Best Collaboration, an honor they earned by way of the music video for J-Lo's Dinero.
Offset was a lot more casually dressed than his glamorous wife, opting to dress in head-to-toe Louis Vuitton for the evening.
Camila Cabello was also spotted coming over to catch up with the I Like It rapper.
And while Cardi appeared to be in great spirits as she made her red carpet return on Monday night, it hasn't been the easiest of rides since welcoming the newborn nearly six weeks ago.
After revealing she would not be returning as a support at for Bruno Mars on his 24K World Tour as she wasn't yet ready to return to the stage, she also confessed earlier this month that she was suffering from bouts of postpartum depression.
She's a winner! Cardi took home the award for Best New Artist and Best Collaboration (for her track Dinero with Jennifer Lopez and DJ Kahlid)
Stronger than ever: Thanking her fans, she also gave a shoutout to the haters that told her she wouldn't be able to continue creating music once she became a mother
Lady in red: Cardi was also spotted during the televise snuggling up to Offset as well as posing with Latin singer Maluma
Stylish couple: Offset opted to dress in head-to-toe Louis Vuitton for the evening
Sending her love: Camila Cabello was also spotted coming over to catch up with the I Like It singer
'This postpartum sh*t is annoying. Like I been emotional all f**king day for no reason (sic),' she wrote on social media.
She also recently opened up about how the little amount of sleep she was getting was impacting her.
'I wish I could show you my face but a b***h look f****d up in the game! Like, my hair's f****d up. My eyes are so dark and puffy. Like, I', wild pale like a b***h looking like she got jaundice,' she said.
'Let me tell y'all something. No matter how many books y'all read, advice y'all get, y'all never be ready for mommy mode.'
On Tuesday Bruno announced he was drafting four acts to fill in for the cancelled Cardi, including Ciara, Boyz II Men, Ella Mai and Charlie Wilson.
Chic to the last: She had switched into a busty black mini-dress draped with massive frills by the time she hit the stage with Jennifer Lopez and DJ Khaled
Jovial: The star appeared to be in decidedly jovial spirits as she returned to the grand stage
Cardi B is opening the MTV VMAs on Monday evening.
The Like It Like That singer won't be performing, but will rather just make some comments on stage. With 10 nominations, she’s officially the most nominated artist at the ceremony.
The Bronx-born star was seen makeup free in New York City just hours before the event as she stepped out with her entourage.
Unglam before the glam: Cardi B was seen in NYC on Monday before the MTV VMAs
Chill time: The Bronx-born star was seen makeup free in New York City just hours before the event as she stepped out with her entourage
Cardi looked cute in a light grey sweat outfit with her hoodie up.
The wife of Offset added pointy black boots and carried a cell phone.
And the new mom looked very slender considering she welcomed her daughter Kulture Kiari on July 10.
No paint at all: The Bodak Yellow singer had on no eye makeup and no lipstick
Trim! The wife of Offset added pointy black boots and carried a cell phone. And the new mom looked very slender considering she welcomed her daughter Kulture Kiari on July 10.
Also on Monday her new video debuted for Ring with Kehlani debuted.
Both were in futuristic costumes - Cardi and Kehlani appear together in similar silver-toned outfits.
This Cardi B sighting comes after news Nicki Minaj was seated in front of Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner for Monday's MTV Video Music Awards in LA, according to a photo of the seat chart.
But according to TMZ, that did not sit well with Scott and he asked to be moved to another area.
'Travis will now sit on the opposite side of the room from Nicki,' a source told the site. The insider added it was not about their bad blood, it was more about image.
Move me: Nicki Minaj was seated in front of Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner for Monday's MTV Video Music Awards in LA, according to a photo of the seat chart. But according to TMZ, that did not sit well with Scott and he asked to be moved. Seen in May
Uh-Oh: The singer argued that his album Astroworld has done better than Nicki's Queen
Nicki created drama on Sunday when she commented Travis' album Astroworld only came in number one because he is with the Keeping Up With The Kardashians beauty. And Minaj added that her album, Queen, deserved the top spot instead.
The original seating chart for the VMAs was partially released on Monday. Nicki was in the front row near Ariana Grande. And just behind them were Kylie and Travis.
In fact, Scott was seated so close to the petite rapper, that he could lean over and pull has hair if he wanted to.
Also in the vicinity were Blake Lively, Liam Payne and Gucci Mane.
Nicki also said that Travis used his baby daughter Stormi to fuel interest in his album.
Too close for comfort: The seating chart for the VMAs was partially released on Monday. Nicki is in the front row near Ariana Grande. And just behind them are Kylie and Travis.
The rapper, 35, defended the performance of her album Queen after it finished second on the Billboard 200 - behind Scott's Astroworld - suggesting the marketing of the record artificially inflated the numbers.
The Grammy-nominated artist took to Twitter on Sunday to point out Scott sold more than 50,000 copies 'with no requirement of redeeming the album' and 'no dates for a tour,' while relying on Kylie's enormous social network for promotion.
Minaj said, 'I put my blood sweat & tears in writing a dope album only for Travis Scott to have Kylie Jenner post a tour pass telling ppl to come see her & Stormi. lol. Im actually laughing.'
The Queens, New York native, whose full name is Onika Tanya Maraj, said she talked to Scott, and 'he knows he doesn’t have the #1 album this week,' in spite of his Billboard status.
She then declared: 'I love my fans for the #1 album in AMERICA! ... 4 albums in, #1 in 86 countries.'
The Barbie Tingz artist pointed out changes in the business model of the music industry: 'My first album sold 400K. No one is doing that with debut albums now ... I looked at the numbers the Carters, Kanye, Nas, etc recently did.'
She noted how Scott has been able to successfully crossover his album sales with his fashion business, adding that it skews the numbers in a way that Billboard will address moving forward.
Tweet-storm: Minaj expressed her dissatisfaction in a series of tweets on Sunday
'Travis sold 200K in his first week of clothes alone,' she wrote. 'I spoke to him last night & he said he’s been selling clothes b4 the music.
'Billboard says they’ll change the rules cuz of this, so it should be changed now!'
Nicki also called out the streaming service Spotify for what she called a punitive reaction after she played cuts from Queen Radio on Beats 1 on Apple Music: 'Spotify put drake’s face on every playlist but told me they’d have to teach me a lesson for playing my music 10 mins early on #QueenRadio.
'Even tho they’ve been giving away my music for free for years & I am one of the top Spotify artists of all time.'
They got it right: Kylie and Travis make a strong power couple
She noted that 'Spotify had to teach [her] a lesson but rewarded the man who has had an Apple radio show the longest; inadvertently helping the Apple platform the most.'
She noted that despite her gripes, she was not bitter or upset as she tweeted.
'People are calling me thinking I’m huffing & puffing,' she wrote. 'Omg y’all this is sarcasm/dry humor.
'Yikes. I’m having the most iconNIC time. When people call me & hear me crackin up laughing they seem so puzzled. Loosen up.'
The Anaconda singer's new album - her first studio album since 2014's The Pinkprint - was initially slated to drop in mid-June, but was delayed until this month so Minaj could put the finishing touches on it.
Kylie and Travis - real name Jacques Webster - welcomed baby daughter Stormi into the world on February 1 after just 10 months of dating.
Cardi B kicked off the 2018 VMAs on a high note, making her first major public appearance since giving birth to her first child with husband Offset on July 10. Their baby girl, named Kulture Kiari Cephus, is now over a month old.
Despite previous reports, Cardi's opener tonight was not a musical performance, but it was still an exciting start to the ceremony. She stood on stage to introduce the show, holding a bundle in her arms, appearing to be carrying her baby.
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MTV
"I got a little surprise for y'all, you know what I'm saying?" she teased the crowd. But when she unwrapped the blanket, it turned out she was just holding a VMA moon man trophy.
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Looks like we'll have to wait a little longer for our first look at Cardi's baby girl. She did introduce Shawn Mendez for his performance, though.
MTV
Although Cardi was able to make it to the VMAs tonight, the new mom is still keeping her public appearances to a minimum. She had to cancel her tour dates opening for Bruno Mars this fall in order to continue recovering from childbirth and spend time with her new baby.
"I underestimated the whole mommy thing," the rapper wrote on Instagram in late July. "Not only am I just not ready physically, I'm not ready to leave my baby behind since the doctors explained it's not healthy for her to be on the road."
However, she will still take the stage at the Global Citizens Festival in NYC on September 29. She'll be joined by Janet Jackson, The Weeknd, Janelle Monáe, and Shawn Mendez in Central Park for the charitable music event.
In case Cardi B—a new mother of just one month—kicking off this evening's MTV VMAs 2018 show with a performance wasn't enough, the rapper—a master of quick change wigs and extensions—showed up ahead of the crowd on the red carpet in a brand new beauty look that proved this night is one she'll own.
A scene-stealing dramatic pixie cut framed Cardi's glowing skin, the fresh length making for a bold and sophisticated departure from the down-to-there raven waves onlookers have come to associate with the performer. A plunging décolletage exposure and slit-to-there leg reveal gave new, diva-infused meaning to the phrase "post-baby body," a vibe echoed her high-impact wing of eye shadow, pinkish nude pout, and the set of oversize sparkling emerald earrings that afforded her gamine chop a welcome wash of exaggerated glamour. The lesson? When you're slated to set the tone for the night's festivities, you may as well go all in.
See All of the Celebrity Looks From the 2018 MTV VMAs Red Carpet:
