Rihanna will always be connected to her ex-boyfriend Matt Kemp.

The ‘Stay’ singer – who was recently said to have rekindled her friendship with the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball player whom she dated for a year following her split from Chris Brown in 2009 – reportedly loves that he got a similar tattoo to her to remember his grandparents and thinks it was a “manly gesture”.

The sports star got a tattoo on his chest in memory of his grandparents just months after the 24-year-old popstar got an inking of an Egyptian Goddess Isis on her own chest in memory of her late grandmother Dolly.

A source close to Rihanna told HollywoodLife.com she was extremely touched by his gesture, saying: “Maybe they’re connected and don’t even know it. Matt and her are friends and they will always be friends and she knows how much he loves his family and like her, he loves his grandparents and that’s obvious by what he did.

“She thinks that’s manly of him to do something like that, to pay homage to those who he loves.

“The tat is dope and she likes it a lot. You know Ri, she’s a fan of body art and she loves a man that’s all tatted up. (sic)”

Meanwhile, Rihanna was previously reported to want to walk the red carpet with her on/off boyfriend Chris, 23, at the Grammys.

The couple recently rekindled their romance despite Chris still being on probation for beating her at a pre-Grammys party in 2009 – and have told friends they plan to make their first public appearance as a couple again at the ceremony on February 10 in Los Angeles.

A source previously said: “She wants her man on her arms with her at the Grammys. They both aren’t worried about being out in public together. That’s obvious. She already talked to him about going to the Grammys together and that’s the plan right now.”

Rihanna is set to perform at the event and is nominated for three awards including Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Short Form Music Video for ‘We Found Love’.

Chris Brown and Karrueche Tran enjoyed a romantic dinner together on Friday (26.10.12).

The former couple – who split recently over Chris’ feelings for ex-girlfriend Rihanna, even though he is still on probation for beating her up in 2009 – had dinner together at Wokcano in West Hollywood before attending the opening of new store Wild Style.

A source told HollywoodLife.com: “Chris and Karrueche were seen having dinner Friday night at Wokcano on Third Street in West Hollywood around 10pm. It was weird seeing them together after everything that happened with the two of them and then Rihanna’s in the mix too. It’s just too crazy. Chris and Karrueche got a quiet little table toward the back of the restaurant and ate together. The pair spent almost an hour together at the restaurant and other diners said they appeared to be having a great time together.

The eyewitness added: “They were at the restaurant for about 40-45 minutes. They ordered a few sushi rolls and Kae had white wine. They were having a fantastic outing together and it really showed.

“They weren’t all touchy feeling with one another, but they were having a great time. There was a lot of smiling at one another. He was telling jokes and being funny and she was eating it up, laughing at his every word and being attentive to him. Not sure if they’re back together, but something is definitely up – judging by the way they were interacting.”