Nearly one month after Rihanna’s father, Ronald Fenty, passed at age 70, the official cause of death has been released. Mr. Fenty, who died May 30 at the age of 70 in Los Angeles, had been battling “brief illnesses” leading up to his sudden departure.
According to a death certificate obtained by TMZ, Ronald passed away from acute respiratory failure, pancreatic cancer, aspiration pneumonia, acute renal failure, and acute tubular necrosis. The document confirms what many close to the family suspected after his death came after a sudden and intense medical decline.
Fenty had reportedly been admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles on May 28, just two days before his death. Sources say Rihanna herself was in the car that took him to the hospital. Her younger brother, Rajad Fenty, was also spotted arriving at the facility shortly after. Despite a complicated history, Rihanna was by her father’s side during his final moments.

Born in Barbados, Ronald Fenty had three children with his ex-wife, Monica Braithwaite: Robyn (Rihanna), Rorrey, and Rajad. He also had three additional children from previous relationships. While he stayed largely out of the spotlight, Fenty made headlines over the years, particularly after the 2009 incident between Rihanna and Chris Brown, when he spoke to the press without his daughter’s permission. That move created a major rift between the two.

But over time, the wounds began to heal.
In a 2012 interview with Oprah, Rihanna revealed that she had forgiven her father and had taken steps to mend their relationship. “He taught me everything… and I was able to close that gap with him,” she said. The reconciliation was real, even after a public legal battle in 2019, when Rihanna sued her father for allegedly misusing her name for business deals. The case was eventually dropped in 2021, and Rihanna remained privately involved in his life.

Ronald Fenty’s sudden death has stirred a deep well of emotion among fans, especially those who have followed Rihanna’s journey not just as an artist but as a daughter navigating family complexities in the public eye. His passing comes at a tender time for Rihanna, who is currently expecting her third child with partner A$AP Rocky. The singer and entrepreneur has yet to make a public statement about her father’s death.