By Adenike Lawal
Ronald Fenty, father of global pop superstar Rihanna, has passed away at the age of 70 in Los Angeles following a battle with an undisclosed illness.
Sources close to the family confirmed his death on Friday, noting that members of the Fenty family had gathered at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in his final days.
Rihanna was believed to be present, offering quiet support during the somber period.
Ronald and Rihanna had a complicated but evolving father-daughter relationship. Though they endured periods of estrangement-marked by personal struggles and public disputes, they had reconciled in recent years.
In a 2023 interview, Ronald expressed pride in Rihanna’s achievements and excitement over her expanding family with A$AP Rocky, saying he was “grateful to be part of her journey again.”
Fenty had three children; Rihanna, Rajad, and Rorrey with his former wife, Monica Braithwaite, from whom he separated in 2002, just as Rihanna’s ascent to global stardom began.
His passing closes a poignant chapter in Rihanna’s life, defined by trials, healing, and the power of forgiveness.
