Nine-time-Grammy-winner Rihanna celebrated her 30th birthday on Tuesday by paying a heartfelt homage to her mother, Monica Braithwaite.

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Along with a throwback picture from her childhood, the 'Umbrella' singer wrote an emotional message on social media.

"10958 days ago @monica_fenty became a mother for the first time to her only daughter! Today is just as much your birthday as it is mine! I love you mom!,"RiRi wrote.

"Thank you for carrying me, birthing me, raising me, supporting me, teaching me, and loving me unconditionally! The woman I am today is because of everything that you are! I thank God for perfectly hand picking you to be my mother when He sent my spirit to you! You are the greatest! Thank you!" she added.

A string of the pop icon's friends, including Ellen DeGeneres, Ryan Seacrest, Bruno Mars, DJ Khaled, sent her warm birthday wishes.

But a birthday wish from her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown had the Twitterverse talking. Brown posted an image of Rihanna, when she was a wee toddler, on his Instagram account with a simple caption that read, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY @badgalriri"

The post riled up Twitterati who remembered Chris Brown assaulting Rihanna in a rented car on the eve of Grammy Awards in 2009.

The couple was together for a year before the incident took place. According to a Billboard report, Brown was charged with felony assault and making criminal threats.

He pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge and accepted a plea deal that included five years probation, six months of community service and one year of mandatory domestic violence counselling; a judge also instituted a five-year restraining order that required Brown to say at least 50 yards away from Rihanna at all time.

Social media reacted in support of Rihanna.

Away from this chatter, Rihanna celebrated her milestone 30th birthday in New York City with family, friends like Paris Hilton and Toni Braxton, and rumoured boyfriend Hassan Jameel.