USHER - STARS MAKE GRAND ENTRANCES AT VMAS

Last year's (03) MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS was dominated by a spectacular stage show in which MADONNA, CHRISTINA AGUILERA and BRITNEY spears cavorted and kissed.

This year (04) was all about grand entrances, as music royalty got the chance to show off their spending power by cruising up to Miami, Florida's harbour-side red carpet in a variety of impressive water craft.

R+B star USHER, who picked up his first and second VMAs at the ceremony, was the first on the red carpet, stealing the show in a breathtaking silver yacht. He said after stepping on dry land, "I wanted not only the sexiest and flyest boat, but also the fastest."

The singer then kicked off the live show, performing his hit CONFESSIONS, PT II.

Rapper LUDACRIS followed him onto the red carpet with pal LIL JON, telling reporters he was tempted not to stop in Miami: "We about to go to the Bahamas and just skip the VMAs."

The 'king of bling' SEAN 'P DIDDY' COMBS meanwhile shared his yacht with showbiz pals BRUCE WILLIS, rapper MASE and NAOMI CAMPBELL.

The BEASTIE BOYS however shunned the flashy approach and arrived on the red carpet in the swamp burner they rode in their CH-CHECK IT OUT video.