Image from Rolling Stone
“Oh na na what’s her name?” Looks like Rihanna doesn’t want these deals to “work, work, work, work, work.”
Rihanna aka Robyn Rihanna Fenty has filed suit for $75 million against her father for using her trademarked last name without her permission, claiming her father Ronald Fenty and his business partners misused the Fenty name for their own business.
Currently, Rihanna has a broad range of trademarks, including “Fenty,” “Fenty Beauty,” and “Fenty By Rihanna.”
The lawsuit alleges Ronald Fenty created a company called “Fenty Entertainment” to trick third parties into thinking they were authorized on behalf of Rihanna and held themselves out as a liaison between the singer and third parties. Rihanna claims her father and his co-defendants accepted deals without her permission, for her to perform 15 shows in Latin America for $15 million, with additional shows in the U.S. for $400,000.
Previously, Ronald Fenty attempted to register “Fenty” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to be used for “resort hotel services” in August 2018 but failed to secure registration. Other examples of attempts to register include “RHI RHI,” “FentySwim,” and “Fenty 88.”
Rihanna’s legal team has previously sent cease-and-desist orders to her father and his business partners. She has requested an injunction to stop her father from using the Fenty name, along with unspecified damages.
What do you think this means for people that want to trademark their names? Does this mean that all their family members are precluded from using the name?
We guess Rihanna thinks her father is a “Rude Boy,” and he should go on and “Take a Bow.”
Article by Carissa Chow