Robyn Rihanna Fenty born 20 February 1988 is a Barbadian singer, songwriter, and actress. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, and raised in Bridgetown, she was discovered by American record producer Evan Rogers in her home country of Barbados in 2003.
Rihanna rose to fame with the release of her debut studio album Music of the Sun as well as its follow-up A Girl Like Me (2006). Both albums peaked within the top ten of the US Billboard 200.
She says her father, Ronald Fenty, and his business partner falsely suggested being connected to their company, Fenty Entertainment.
The singer Rihanna took her father to court in the United States, accusing him of exploiting her name to promote her entertainment business.
Their conduct has deceived the public and wounded its brand Fenty, the name of its beauty business, says the cause. Fenty Entertainment did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rihanna asked the court to prevent the company from using the Fenty name for the business.
The lawsuit states that Rihanna owns brands in the United States for the name Fenty and has sent formal requests to "cease and desist".
"Defendants continue to this date to use their misrepresentations for their commercial advantage and to mislead the public," it says.
"This fraudulent conduct harms not only plaintiffs but the public at large and requires judicial intervention."
Mr. Fenty, with whom Rihanna has said she has a difficult relationship, started the firm in California in 2017 with business partner Moses Perkins, according to the lawsuit.
A press release, posted on the firm's website until "at least October 2018" announced the launch of the firm "with" Rihanna, despite the fact that she was not involved, it says.
In another instance, Fenty Entertainment entered negotiations for Rihanna to perform 15 shows in Latin America for about $15m, without her authorization, according to the complaint.
"Although Mr. Fenty is Rihanna's father, he does not presently, nor has he ever, had the authority to act on Rihanna's behalf or had the right to use her Fenty mark, to exploit the goodwill of her Fenty brands or to solicit business on her behalf," it says.
The lawsuit says these kinds of activities violate advertising, competition and privacy laws and risk "serious irreparable injury" to the Fenty brand if not stopped.
Rihanna achieved a lot of things and she was also appointed as an Ambassador on behalf of the government of Barbados in 2018, with her duties involving the promotion of education, tourism, and investment.
Rihanna later claimed that her father tried in vain to file a "Fenty" brand for use with the resort's boutique hotels.
He says he has sent more letters of termination and withdrawal to his father, ordering him to stop exploiting his Fenty brands, but says he ignored them and continued to make money with Fenty Entertainment.
He is asking a judge to give an injunction to his father using the name Fenty and, of course, for damages.
