Rihanna is grappling with the loss of her father, Ronald Fenty, who has passed away at the age of 70.
According to TMZ, he died in Los Angeles following a brief illness. Starcom Network, a radio station based in Barbados, confirmed that he passed early Saturday morning.
Family members have since come together in California to mourn, although the precise date and cause of death have not yet been publicly shared. At this point, representatives for the singer have not issued any official statement.
Ronald Fenty and Rihanna shared a long and complicated relationship.
In an interview with Ryan Seacrest back in 2009, the singer spoke openly about the tensions between them, admitting that she hadn’t spoken to her father in over a year at the time. “I’ve tried to make things right,” she said then. “I’ve done my part. The rest is up to him.”
Their bond was tested further when she asked him to leave a tour due to behavior that she felt crossed the line. The sting deepened when Ronald spoke to the media after her highly publicized assault by Chris Brown, acting as if he was still in regular contact with her when that wasn’t the case. “That was really hurtful,” she reflected.
In 2019, tensions rose to the point where Rihanna sued her father and a business partner for allegedly misusing their family name — Fenty — to launch an entertainment company, implying her involvement. The case was later settled privately in 2021.
Throughout his life, Ronald battled addiction, grappling with alcohol and crack cocaine. As a child, Rihanna witnessed domestic violence and later spoke openly about her father’s struggles, including instances where her mother was a target of abuse.
Despite these deep-seated wounds, she quietly tried to support him, covering the cost of rehab treatment in Malibu in 2013. However, old patterns resurfaced, and in 2014, after arriving intoxicated at her Diamond Ball charity event, he was asked to leave.
Through it all, Rihanna remained committed to trying to mend their bond. She purchased a home for him and worked to rebuild trust. In recent years, the two appeared to have found a measure of peace. When Ronald contracted COVID-19 in 2020, he spoke openly about how much it meant to have Rihanna by his side, checking in every day and making sure he had access to medical care. “My daughter Robyn saved my life,” he said. “I thought I was going to die, but she was there for me every step of the way.”
In moments of joy, he expressed great pride in his daughter. Upon learning about her first pregnancy with A$AP Rocky, he was elated. “I jumped for joy when I heard the news,” he said. “She’s going to be an amazing mother — she always has been a nurturing person, especially with her cousins’ kids.” He spoke highly of A$AP Rocky too, referring to him as “a very cool guy” after meeting him in Barbados.
Conclusion:
Although the path between Rihanna and her father was long and often challenging, it was also defined by moments of grace, understanding, and belonging. Despite their struggles, the love that connected them remained strong until the very end. His passing marks the close of a chapter that shaped the singer in profound ways — a reminder that even the most complicated relationships can hold moments of beauty, forgiveness, and unbreakable bond.