Ronald Fenty, the father of pop icon Rihanna, has died at the age of 70 in Los Angeles after a short illness. The news was first reported by Barbados’ Starcom Network. Rihanna, who is currently pregnant with her third child, was reportedly by his side.
Fenty, originally from Barbados, shared three children with Rihanna’s mother, Monica Braithwaite — Rihanna, Rajad, and Rorrey. Rihanna also has three half-siblings from her father’s previous relationships.
The father-daughter relationship had its ups and downs. After Rihanna’s 2009 assault by Chris Brown, Fenty spoke to the media without her consent, which she later called “really strange.” Though they tried to rebuild their bond, Rihanna sued him in 2019 for using her name in business ventures. The case was later dropped in 2021.
Despite past challenges, Rihanna once told Oprah she had “repaired” things with her father. His passing marks a bittersweet moment for the singer, as she prepares to welcome another child.
