{blackbabes} Rihanna hits back at Brown with grill

Pop star Rihanna has taken a sly swipe at her ex-beau Chris Brown's controversial neck tattoo by mimicking his gold teeth grill.

The singer was spotted leaving a restaurant in Santa Monica, California on Tuesday sporting sparkling metal in her mouth, just weeks after Brown was pictured wearing a similar item.

The move appeared to be a response to the controversy earlier this week when Brown showed off his latest tattoo, which apparently depicts a woman's battered face.

Fans were shocked by the similarities between the image and the injuries Brown inflicted on Umbrella singer Rihanna three years ago when he beat her up following a pre-Grammy Awards party.