Ronald Fenty, the father of global music icon Rihanna, has passed away at the age of 70. According to reports, he died in Los Angeles following a brief illness. While the official cause and exact date of his passing have yet to be publicly disclosed, sources close to the family confirm that he was surrounded by loved ones in his final moments.
News of his passing was first reported by Starcom Network News, a leading radio station in Rihanna’s native Barbados, and was later echoed by multiple media outlets. In the days leading up to his death, Rihanna’s younger brother, Rajad Fenty, was seen arriving at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on May 28th. Reports also suggest that Rihanna was by her father’s side during his final days, marking a deeply personal chapter in the singer’s otherwise public life.
A Life in Barbados and a Complex Family Dynamic
Born and raised in Barbados, Ronald Fenty was a familiar figure whose life often intersected with that of his world-famous daughter. He shared three children—Rihanna, Rorrey, and Rajad—with his ex-wife Monica Braithwaite, raising them together in a modest bungalow on Westbury New Road, a street that has since been renamed Rihanna Drive in honor of his daughter’s global impact. Ronald also had three other children—Samantha, Kandy, and Jamie—from previous relationships.
The Fenty family’s early years were layered and, at times, difficult. Ronald and Monica separated during Rihanna’s childhood and finalized their divorce in 2002, when she was just 14. Their relationship, by many accounts, was tumultuous, shaped in part by Ronald’s struggles with alcohol and substance abuse. Rihanna has spoken candidly over the years about those challenges, once describing her parents’ marriage as “abusive” in a 2009 interview. The emotional toll of their home life, she noted, was so severe it began to manifest in her physical health as a child.
The Evolving Father-Daughter Bond
Rihanna’s relationship with her father was famously complex and multifaceted, marked by cycles of estrangement, public tensions, and, at times, heartfelt reconciliations. Yet despite the emotional turbulence, Ronald Fenty remained a significant presence in her life.
Tensions reached a public peak in 2009 following the widely covered assault incident involving Rihanna and then-boyfriend Chris Brown. Without her consent, Ronald spoke to the media about the traumatic event—a move that deeply hurt his daughter and strained their bond. Reflecting on the moment in a 2011 Vogue interview, Rihanna shared her dismay, stating, “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.”
However, the bond between father and daughter was never entirely severed. In a candid 2012 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Rihanna revealed that she had made a conscious effort to “repair” her relationship with her father. She spoke openly about the emotional work of confronting her anger and learning to differentiate his failings as a husband from his role in her life as a father. “He taught me everything, and as awful as he was to my mom, at times, it didn’t compare to how great he was as a father,” she shared, offering a glimpse into the deeply layered and often contradictory nature of their connection.
Ronald Fenty & Rihanna: A Storied Relationship
In 2016, Rihanna purchased a $1.8 million mansion for her father in Barbados—a gesture that signaled a renewed commitment to their evolving bond. At the time, Ronald remarked that he had become something of a tourist attraction and longed for greater privacy, a wish Rihanna helped fulfill. Their reconciliation seemed to deepen from that point forward. However, the road to healing was far from smooth.
Tensions resurfaced in 2019 when Rihanna filed a lawsuit against her father and his business partner, Moses Perkins. She accused them of exploiting her globally recognized “Fenty” brand and name to promote their own venture, Fenty Entertainment, and of falsely suggesting she was involved in their business dealings.
The lawsuit alleged that Ronald and his partner attempted to solicit millions of dollars from unsuspecting third parties by posing as Rihanna’s representatives. They even went as far as trying to book an unauthorized 15-date tour across Latin America under her name. However, in a surprising turn, Rihanna chose to dismiss the lawsuit just weeks before it was set to go to trial—perhaps another quiet attempt at preserving familial ties.
Despite the turbulence in their relationship, Rihanna did not abandon her father in his time of need. In 2020, when Ronald contracted COVID-19, she stepped in without hesitation, sending him a ventilator and checking on him daily. Deeply moved by her support, Ronald expressed his gratitude in a public statement: “I have to say, I love you so much, Robyn. She did so much for me. I appreciate everything she has done.”
A Legacy of Redemption and Family Bonds
One of the most heartwarming chapters of Ronald Fenty’s later life was his joy in becoming a grandfather. When Rihanna announced her first pregnancy in 2022, Ronald was overjoyed. “I’m ecstatic… I just got the news from her last night, and she sent me some photos… I’m just over the moon,” he said at the time, his voice filled with pride and emotion.
This new role brought him immense happiness. He often spoke about Rihanna’s nurturing spirit, confidently predicting she would be a wonderful mother. Their shared excitement in welcoming her son, RZA, into the world served as a poignant reminder of the healing power of family, forgiveness, and love.
Ronald Fenty’s passing comes at a pivotal moment for Rihanna, who is currently expecting her third child with longtime partner A$AP Rocky. Though she has yet to issue a public statement, the global community joins in mourning, extending heartfelt condolences to Rihanna and the entire Fenty family during this time of loss.
Featured image: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage
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