Rihanna Suffers Devastating Family Heartbreak as Her Father Ronald Fenty Dies Aged 70 After His Reconciled With Superstar Daughter Amid Rocky Relationship
Rhianna's father Ronald Fenty died.
May 31 2025, Published 2:34 p.m. ET
Ronald Fenty, the father of global pop icon Rihanna, has passed away at the age of 70.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Ronald had succumbed to a “brief illness” in Los Angeles. The Diamonds singer, who is currently pregnant and expecting her third child with rapper A$AP Rocky, is grappling with the profound loss of her father during what should be a joyful time.
Ronald Fenty's Death
Ronald had succumbed to a 'brief illness' in Los Angeles.
Sources claim the pop star's father was surrounded by family at the time of his passing.
Rihanna's brother, Rajad Fenty, was spotted arriving at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on the evening of May 28, which further corroborated reports that the family rallied together in their final moments with Ronald. While details surrounding his illness remain sparse, the emotional fallout surrounding his death is already resonating with fans and followers of the singer.
Father and Daughter's Rocky Relationship
Rihanna had a rocky relationship with her dad.
Rihanna and her father have had a rocky history over the years.
After the Umbrella singer was assaulted by her then-boyfriend Chris Brown in 2009, Ronald spoke to the press about the incident, which sparked outrage from his daughter. She later called the situation “really strange,” revealing that his actions were hard for her to comprehend.
She stated in a candid interview with Vogue: "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 the friction, reports indicate that Rihanna had a moment of reconciliation with her father.
During an interview with Oprah Winfrey, she revealed that she “repaired” her relationship with Ronald, although their rapport continued to face challenges.
However, Rihanna later sued her father in 2019 for allegedly exploiting her name for financial gain.
He had launched a talent development company called Fenty Entertainment, claiming to act as her manager to solicit new clients.
Just weeks before the lawsuit was set to go to trial in 2021, Rihanna made a surprising move and filed to dismiss the case.
Rihanna's Family
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Rihanna's family are from Barbados.
Fenty and Monica Braithwaite raised their family in Bridgetown, Barbados, where they lived until Rihanna moved to the United States at age 16.
The pair separated when the "Love on the Brain" musician was young, and they officially divorced in 2002, when Rihanna was 14.
