The cause of death for pop sensation Rihanna’s dad, Ronald Fenty, has been confirmed by his death certificate after he had reportedly dealt with a brief illness
The cause of death for Rihanna’s father has been confirmed. Ronald Fenty died at the age of 70 last month.
Ronald’s death has been attributed to a combination of issues, according to his death certificate. The singer’s dad died from cancer, pneumonia and other serious illnesses, reports have confirmed. He died on May 30 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
The 70-year-old’s death certificate is also said to have listed respiratory failure as a cause alongside pancreatic cancer. Other causes listed in the document are said to include acute renal failure and acute tubular necrosis. Both of the ailments involve extensive kidney damage.
The death certificate was seen by stateside publication TMZ. His death was initially announced by Starcom Network News, a prominent radio station based in Rihanna ’s homeland of Barbados.
Family members are said to have gathered in California at the end of last month to pay their respects and honour Ronald’s memory. The heartbreaking news comes as Rihanna, real name Robyn Fenty, is currently expecting her third child with partner A$AP Rocky.
Ronald and Rihanna’s mum,Monica Braithwaite, divorced when the chart topper was just a teenager. He was even the subject of a lawsuit delivered by his daughter who accused him of misusing her name to benefit his own entertainment company – she later dropped it in 2021.
And she had also previously paid for her dad to attend a $58,000 Malibu rehab following a difficult period in their relationship. At the time she sent him home from her tour due to his alcohol abuse.
Following Ronald’s death, a source told Daily Mail that despite the pair’s complex relationship, his passing has taken a heavy told on the songstress. The source told the publication: “Robyn has had a very difficult relationship with her father over the years but his death has hit her like a ton of bricks.
“Being pregnant and dealing with ASAP’s legal woes have been an emotional roller coaster for her the last few months, and to add to it all, her dad was getting sick, and it started to become too much.
“As much as you realise that something like this is occurring, it is still completely heartbreaking and that is where she is right now.”
Speaking after the birth of Rihanna’s first child, Ronald spoke fondly of being a granddad. He said at the time: “She’s loving it. She’s a very overprotective mother.”
“Everybody says [the baby] looks like me,” he told Page Six at the time. “But you know, babies change, faces change. He [resembles] a lot of Rihanna and Rocky together.”
Rihanna is currently pregnant for the third time and broke the news of baby number three as she attended the 2025 Met Gala. She sparked speculation of another child being on the way before the event as she kept stepping out in baggy outfits concealing her stomach.
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