Rihanna's Baseball Star Boyfriend Is 'Keeping Priorities in Order'

By PopEater Staff Posted Feb 25th 2010 07:37AM

Dodgers star Matt Kemp just snagged a $10.95 million contract, but his recent rise to mega-fame might have less to do with his swing and more to do with his girlfriend. Kemp admits that living in Los Angeles -- and being in a high-profile relationship with pop star Rihanna -- comes with a level of celebrity he hadn't anticipated, but he's learning to deal with it. "You find different ways to handle it," Kemp tells MLB.com. "It can be a little overwhelming. But it's not going to affect my work. I get my work in and plan on repeating the same season or even better."

In some ways, Kemp has certainly embraced the celebrity lifestyle. Rihanna celebrated her birthday recently at a surprise Phoenix bash thrown by the baseball star. Kemp pulled out all the stops for Rihanna, reportedly giving her a diamond necklace and setting up a soiree that included "Sprinkles cupcakes, tiki torches in the pool and engraved bottles of Ace of Spades champagne and Johnny Walker Blue, as well as a Jamaican chef who whipped up lots of appetizers for the crowd."

The high life won't affect Kemp's game, says Dodgers manager Joe Torre. "When you get more famous, you get more attention. The fact that he's dating someone famous, it sort of doubles the attention, maybe quadruples the attention. I don't think he'll change what he's going to do. He'll probably have to work harder, not concentrating, but he'll have to answer more questions, get asked more questions."

"My advice to him is, the fact that you are going to get more attention, just make sure your priorities are in order," Torre says. "I don't think you have to say that to Matt Kemp. Off his personality, if the day comes where you feel that you have to talk to him, you do. Derek Jeter, after his first year, he was single in the city of New York, I talked to him. He assured me his priorities were in order, and they were."

Watch Rihanna - "Rude Boy (Sessions)"

Kemp's elevation to celebrity status has some unexpected perks as well -- like an upcoming photo shoot with GQ. "I don't consider myself a model of no type," Kemp says. "I think it's kind of cool. I read GQ. I see how people dress and keep my dress game up."

For Dodgers fans, Kemp is just about as hot on the playing field as Rihanna is on the charts. The 25-year-old center fielder is coming off the best season of his young career, having just won the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. And it's only getting better for the star-in-the making -- MLB experts estimate the Oklahoma native may double his salary in 2011.

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Rihanna Snapshots

Rihanna attends a photo call during a short promotional tour in Sydney for her new album "Rated R" at the Intercontinental Hotel on February 14, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. More Photos >>

Don Arnold/WireImage.com

WireImage.com

Rihanna Snapshots

Pop star Rihanna attends a photo call during a short promotional tour in Sydney for her new album "Rated R" at the Intercontinental Hotel on February 14, 2010 in Sydney, Australia. Rihanna Promotes "Rated R" In Sydney - Photo Call Sydney, Australia February 14, 2010 Photo by Don Arnold/WireImage.com To license this image (59587831), contact WireImage.com

Rihanna Snapshots

© BAUER-GRIFFIN.COM Rihanna poses for photographers at Intercontinental Hotel to promote her new album 'Rated R.' NON-EXCLUSIVE February 14, 2010 Job: 100214W1 Sydney, Australia www.bauergriffin.com www.bauergriffinonline.com

Rihanna Snapshots

Comments

(21)

Thursday 25 February

By Spaceman Eddie

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Hey! Who put the prairie dog on her head?

By vdog

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Be careful young man and dont' put up with ANY CRAP. Many a good man's career and life have been destroyed by.........

By Terry

I know, I was wondering, has noone in her life told her how dumb that particular "hair" looks!? I saw a snowman yesterday with a used mop head for the hat....it kinda looked like that! I'm not hating on HER, but that hairstyle is not very attractive on her!

By tothepoint

The same person that put millions of dollars in her pocket through talent, her. Who told you to shoot off your ignorant poor A mouth, you.

By Guillermo Sanchez

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

He, that's funny.

By Well Snap!

Hope the hair style is not a fashion statement. YUCK! She's not a raving beauty, perhaps in her own mind, yes. But aferall it's all about the P, and the T, and of course the A.

By pugz

bobby brady called and wants his hair back!

By Tony

I thought he was/is her ex????????????? Are they still a couple??

By mbonhamwolv

I didn't realize, as I am not into the Rap(crap)/R&R scene, that she dumped that P.O.S.(Chris Brown)that beat her. I am glad that she did. If a man does it once, he'll do it again. Best of luck in your career and your relationship with baseball star Matt Kemp.

By judejaded

when jackson BROWN beat darryl hannah, where was all the media hype??? answer that denise BROWN, harridan sister of nicole BROWN. and chris BROWN, you got what you deserve but it still aint right that you are the poster boy for domestic violence...

By ok

instead of you'll pointing the finger at Chris you better check Matt past, don't worry Chris only for a season, some of these haters may be muderers, rapist, whatever, Chris God will take care of you hold tight.

By Veronica

He knew she hasn't stayed out the spotlight since the incident. She used to be a C-list start at best and Chris was the A-list star. Now look at her, everyone acts like they really like her when half the people buying her album only feel sorry for her. Things happen get over it, they were too young to be in such a serious relationship anyway

By really?

Where the hell have you been? Just because she was not in the tabloids before, that does not make her a c list celeb. Ever heard of Umbrella? That song dominated 2007. Just because she was not a stupid tabloid star, does not mean she was not relevant.

By Maria

She needs to do something with her hair,looks ungly

By dewey

RE:: She needs to do something with her hair,looks ungly

I have never seen her WITH a good hair-do... it's always cut way too short... LET IT GROW!!!!!!!

RE: Chris God will take care of you hold tight.

yeah right... God will have to try to get Chris away from Satan,, as if HE wants anything to do with women beating thugs...

By kay

trust me God forgives everybody when they ask for forgiveness, and Chris did just that, and you going to have to ask for forgiveness also for your many mistakes, don't worry about Chris God got his angels encamp around him.

Friday 26 February

RE::: don't worry about Chris God got his angels encamp around him.

WOW... so you're one of those really weird people that wants to make it with murderers on death row and actually thinks that they're OK but everyoe else is whacko??? Get a life of some sort.. and at least TRY to spell and make some sense of a sentence..

Saturday 27 February

you may be a murderer or rapist. must have said something for you to understand.

Tuesday 02 March

By dewey crosby

STAY OUT OF THE WOODS KAY!!!!!!!!!

By kay you may be a murderer or rapist. must have said something for you to understand

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