WafricNews – June 1st, 2025

Los Angeles – Ronald Fenty, father to global music icon Rihanna, has passed away at the age of 70 following a short illness. The heartbreaking news comes just days after Rihanna confirmed she is expecting her third child with longtime partner, rapper A$AP Rocky.

Sources close to the family reveal that Ronald spent his final moments at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, surrounded by loved ones, including his children Rihanna and Rajad Fenty.

The Barbadian singer, born Robyn Rihanna Fenty, had a complicated and often turbulent relationship with her father. The pair experienced periods of estrangement, legal battles, and public fallouts over the years.

In 2019, Rihanna filed a lawsuit against Ronald, accusing him of misusing her name and image to promote his business, Fenty Entertainment. The lawsuit alleged that he had falsely claimed to be her manager in dealings with third parties. The case was dropped in 2021, just before it was due to go to trial.

Tensions between them also surfaced in 2009, following Rihanna’s assault by then-boyfriend Chris Brown. Ronald gave media interviews without her consent, prompting Rihanna to later describe his actions in a Vogue interview as “really strange,” saying, “You grow up with your father, you know him… and then he does something so bizarre that I can’t begin to wrap my mind around it.”

Despite the ups and downs, the father-daughter duo reportedly mended their relationship in recent years. Ronald had expressed pride in Rihanna’s evolution from pop superstar to mother, often praising her strength and success.

Ronald Fenty is survived by several children, including Rihanna, Rajad, Rorrey, Samantha, Kandy, and Jamie.

Rihanna was born in 1988 to Ronald and Monica Braithwaite. Her parents divorced in 2002 when she was 14 years old.


By WafricNews Desk.