Rihanna’s father Ronald Fenty dies at 70 after brief illness

Ronald Fenty, the father of singer and business mogul Rihanna, has died at the age of 70 in Los Angeles following a short illness. No official cause or specific date of death has been released.

Family members were reportedly present during his final days. Rihanna has not made a public statement, and her representatives have declined to comment.

Fenty and Rihanna’s mother, Monica Braithwaite, had three children together: Rihanna, Rajad, and Rorrey. They divorced in 2002. Fenty also had three other children—Samantha, Kandy, and Jamie—from previous relationships.

Rihanna’s relationship with her father was widely known to be complicated. In 2009, following her assault by then-partner Chris Brown, Fenty gave interviews to the press without her consent. Years later, Rihanna reflected on the incident, calling it “really strange” during an interview with Vogue. The two later attempted to reconcile, but tensions resurfaced in 2019 when Rihanna filed a lawsuit accusing him of using her name and brand without permission. The case was later dropped.

Ronald Fenty’s death comes as Rihanna awaits the birth of her third child, adding a layer of personal grief during a significant time in her life.