Ronald Fenty, Rihanna’s Father, Dies at 70 in Los Angeles
The Barbados-born singer’s father had a troubled past and a complicated relationship with his daughter
Ronald Fenty, the father of global music icon Rihanna, passed away on May 31, 2025, at the age of 70. His death was first reported by Starcom Network, a radio station based in Barbados. Fenty reportedly died in Los Angeles after battling an illness, though the official cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
TMZ released photographs of Rihanna’s younger brother, Rajad Fenty, arriving at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Wednesday. Rihanna was also reportedly present in the vehicle.
Born to Ronald Fenty and Monica Braithwaite, Rihanna had a turbulent family life. Her parents' relationship was marred by Ronald’s struggles with substance abuse and emotional distance. The couple officially divorced in 2002 when Rihanna was 14.
Rihanna and her father also shared a complicated and often public relationship. In 2009, after she was assaulted by then-boyfriend Chris Brown, Fenty made public comments about the incident without her consent. Rihanna later told Vogue the move was “really strange.”
In a 2012 interview with Oprah, Rihanna said she had reconciled with her father, though tension remained. In 2019, she filed a lawsuit against him, accusing him of misusing her name to promote a company called Fenty Entertainment and falsely acting as her manager. The lawsuit was dropped in 2021, just weeks before it was set to go to trial.
The article is authored by Sherin MJ, an intern from Loyala Academy