Rihanna’s father, Ronald Fenty, has reportedly passed away at the age of 70.
According to TMZ and Barbados-based Starcom Network, Ronald died in Los Angeles on Saturday, May 31, following a brief illness. (Starcom owns several radio stations in Barbados, where Ronald and his family are originally from.)
Rihanna, 37, has not publicly commented on her father’s reported passing.
Robyn Rihanna Fenty, known worldwide as Rihanna, is one of Ronald’s children with his ex-wife Monica Braithwaite.
In a 2019 interview with Essence, Rihanna spoke about the strong bond she shares with her mother, saying, “I’m a Black woman. I came from a Black woman, who came from a Black woman, who came from a Black woman and I’m going to give birth to a Black woman. It’s a no-brainer. That’s who I am. It’s the core of who I am in spirit and DNA. My mother showed me how to fight through obstacles in life. I’m sure her mom taught her that and that’s how I’m going to be. We are impeccable, we’re special, and the world is going to have to deal with that.”
While Rihanna has maintained a close relationship with her mom, her relationship with Ronald has been more complicated. In 2019, she filed a lawsuit against her father, accusing him of profiting off her business empire through his talent management firm, Fenty Management, which she claimed exploited her Fenty Beauty brand and other trademarks.
Ronald denied the allegations in an interview with OK!, saying, “She is suing me? Why would she sue me? It’s my name! She’s never going to sue me, I’ll have to fight it!”
The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed by Rihanna in September 2021.
Besides Rihanna, Ronald is survived by his other children: Kandy, Samantha, Jamie, Rorrey, and Rajad, along with several grandchildren. Rihanna shares two sons, RZA and Riot Rose, with her partner ASAP Rocky and is reportedly expecting another child.
Earlier this year, Ronald expressed excitement when Rihanna announced her pregnancy during her Super Bowl performance. “When I got the news, I was so excited,” he told TMZ in February 2024. “I just hope they will have 10 fingers and 10 toes. I’m looking for a girl. Already have two grandsons, so I’m looking for a granddaughter now.”
He also spoke positively about Rihanna’s partner, saying, “I like him. I think he’s going to be a great dad. I know she’s going to be a great mom. She’s so happy. She was always talking about having a child, she was saying, ‘[I want] more than one [kid],’ then she said, ‘Maybe more than one,’ and then she said, ‘Three. I would like to have three.’”
This news marks a sad moment for Rihanna and her family as they mourn the loss of Ronald Fenty.
