Ronald Fenty, the father of global music icon Rihanna, has passed away at the age of 70 in Los Angeles following a brief illness, PEOPLE confirmed on May 31, 2025. The news was first reported by Starcom Network, a Barbados-based outlet, which noted that Fenty’s family was present around the time of his passing. However, the official cause and exact date of death have not yet been disclosed.
According to TMZ, Rihanna and her younger brother Rajad Fenty were seen arriving at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on May 28, suggesting they were by his side in his final days.
About Ronald Fenty and His Family
Ronald Fenty and Monica Braithwaite welcomed Robyn Rihanna Fenty in February 1988. The couple raised their family in Bridgetown, Barbados, in a modest bungalow on what is now known as Rihanna Drive. The two eventually separated and finalized their divorce in 2002, when Rihanna was 14.
Alongside Rihanna and Rajad, Ronald and Monica also had a son named Rorrey. Ronald Fenty had three other children — Samantha, Kandy, and Jamie — from previous relationships.
A Complicated Father-Daughter Relationship
Rihanna had a rocky relationship with her father. After the 2009 assault incident involving Chris Brown, Ronald Fenty spoke publicly to the media without Rihanna’s consent, which deeply affected her. In a later interview with Vogue, she said: “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.”
Despite their public tensions, Rihanna revealed to Oprah Winfrey that she eventually reconciled with her father, saying their bond had been “repaired.” However, friction between them continued.
In 2019, Rihanna filed a lawsuit against Ronald Fenty, accusing him of misusing her name and brand by founding a company called Fenty Entertainment and allegedly posing as her manager. The lawsuit was dropped in 2021, just weeks before it was due to go to trial.
A Time of Personal Change for Rihanna
Ronald Fenty’s passing comes during a significant moment in Rihanna’s life. The singer and entrepreneur is currently pregnant with her third child with partner A$AP Rocky. The couple already shares two sons: Rza, 2, and Riot, 1.
According to TMZ, Rihanna and her younger brother Rajad Fenty were seen arriving at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on May 28, suggesting they were by his side in his final days.
About Ronald Fenty and His Family
Ronald Fenty and Monica Braithwaite welcomed Robyn Rihanna Fenty in February 1988. The couple raised their family in Bridgetown, Barbados, in a modest bungalow on what is now known as Rihanna Drive. The two eventually separated and finalized their divorce in 2002, when Rihanna was 14.Alongside Rihanna and Rajad, Ronald and Monica also had a son named Rorrey. Ronald Fenty had three other children — Samantha, Kandy, and Jamie — from previous relationships.
A Complicated Father-Daughter Relationship
Rihanna had a rocky relationship with her father. After the 2009 assault incident involving Chris Brown, Ronald Fenty spoke publicly to the media without Rihanna’s consent, which deeply affected her. In a later interview with Vogue, she said: “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.”Despite their public tensions, Rihanna revealed to Oprah Winfrey that she eventually reconciled with her father, saying their bond had been “repaired.” However, friction between them continued.
In 2019, Rihanna filed a lawsuit against Ronald Fenty, accusing him of misusing her name and brand by founding a company called Fenty Entertainment and allegedly posing as her manager. The lawsuit was dropped in 2021, just weeks before it was due to go to trial.
