Heartbreak for Rihanna as her father dies age 70 — report

Rihanna’s father, Ronald Fenty, has reportedly died at the age of 70 after a brief illness.

The patriarch passed away early Saturday May 31 in Los Angeles, according to Starcom Network News, a radio station in Rihanna's native country of Barbados. Rihanna, who is expecting her third baby with ASAP Rocky, was believed to have visited her father at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with brother Rajad Fenty on Wednesday.

© Ronald Fenty

Rihanna was raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, with Ronald and her mother Monica Braithwaite; they divorced when she was 14.

However Rihanna has had a strained relationship with Ronald over the year's in part because of his addiction. In 2009, Rihanna called the marriage "abusive" and alleged that there were multiple incidents of domestic violence.

© FilmMagic

That same year Ronald spoke to the press without his daughter's permission after she was assaulted by then-boyfriend Chris Brown; she called the moment "really strange," and added: "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."

"He taught me everything, and as awful as he was to my mom, at times, it didn’t compare to how great he was as a father," she later told Oprah Winfrey. "And I had to come to terms with that, and I was able to close that gap with him.”

© Ronald Fenty

However in 2019  Rihanna sued her father for allegedly exploiting her name for financial gain, including alleging that he had founded a tablet development company in 2017 called Fenty Entertainment, posing as Rihanna‘s manager.

Three weeks before the case went to trial in 2021, Rihanna filed to dismiss the lawsuit.

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In the years since Rihanna left Barbados at 16 she has gone on to become a higely successful singer and businesswoman thanks to her Fenty brand of makeup and lingerie.

She is also a mom to two sons, and is expecting her third with Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers.  

© Ronald Fenty

The couple, who have been together for over five years, are parents to RZA, aged three, and Riot Rose, who will be two in August. 

Rihanna's due date for their third baby has not been revealed but the "Umbrella" hitmaker walked the red carpet at the MET Gala in May 2025 showing off her blossoming bump for the first time and confirming the exciting news.

© John Salangsang/BEI/Shutterstock

Since becoming parents back in 2022, the Grammy-winning singer and the "Fashion Killa" rap star have shared the occasional insight into family life.

Rocky has even shared a few videos on his Instagram, including one thathat revealed the inside of their cluttered home,e, a relatable moment for parents everywhere.