Global superstar Rihanna is grieving the death of her father, Ronald Fenty, who passed away at age 70 in Los Angeles after what Starcom Network described as a “brief illness.”
While the exact cause and date of his death remain private, reports confirm loved ones were present during his final moments. TMZ obtained photos showing Rihanna’s younger brother, Rajad Fenty, arriving at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on May 28, with the pregnant singer reportedly in the same vehicle.
Born Robyn Rihanna Fenty in Barbados in 1988 to Ronald and Monica Braithwaite, the Grammy winner grew up in Bridgetown’s modest bungalows—a street later renamed Rihanna Drive in her honor.
Ronald and Monica, who also share sons Rajad and Rorrey, separated during Rihanna’s childhood and divorced in 2002 when she was 14. The Fenty family tree includes three half-siblings from Ronald’s prior relationships: Samantha, Kandy, and Jamie.
Their father-daughter relationship weathered public turbulence, particularly after Ronald gave unauthorized media interviews following Rihanna’s 2009 assault by then-boyfriend Chris Brown.
In a candid Vogue interview quoted by Billboard, Rihanna expressed bewilderment: “You grow up with your father, you know him, you are a part of him, for goodness’ sakes! And then he does something so bizarre that I can’t begin to wrap my mind around it.”
Though Rihanna told Oprah in 2012 they’d begun reconciling, tensions resurfaced in 2019 when she sued Ronald for allegedly exploiting her fame through his Fenty Entertainment venture—accusing him of impersonating her manager to secure deals. She withdrew the lawsuit in 2021 shortly before trial.
The loss comes as Rihanna anticipates her third child with partner A$AP Rocky, adding emotional complexity to this chapter. No funeral arrangements have been disclosed as the family processes their grief privately.
