For a 29-year-old lass, international music superstar Rihanna has had more than her fair share of property problems. So it’s not particularly surprising that although she has been a multi-millionaire since her teenage years, our gurl has only ever owned one U.S. home, or at least that was Yolanda’s understanding before today. Anyway, that’s in stark contrast to most of her contemporaries — folks like Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and (oh, hell) the Kardashians — who go through eight-figure homes as easily as all those DTLA taco trucks unload their wares on Tuesdays.
Way back in 2009 — at the very height of the recession –Rihanna paid a fat $6,900,000 for a rather hideous house located on a flag lot at the end of a cul-de-sac in the Beverly Hills Post Office area. A mere two years later, RiRi unloaded the thoroughly trashed property at a massive loss. Soon lawsuits were being slapped around over build quality issues, blah blah blah. Anyway, suffice to say that Ms. Thang was good and pissed.
(Side note: Rihanna’s old B.H.P.O. house was acquired by an investor who fixed up the joint and flipped it (in 2014) to another investor, who gave it a cosmetic overhaul and then sold it last year for an unbelievable $14,100,000 to John Legend and Chrissy Teigen. For what it’s worth, Yolanda happens to think the Teigen-Legends waaaaaay overpaid. But we digress.)
Thus began a nomadic lifestyle for the pop superstar: Riri then rented a palpably hideous Pacific Palisades mansion but was plagued by stalker issues. So she high-tailed it up to an even hideous-er but highly secure Sunset Plaza “fortress”. From there, she moved on to other rented homes but Yolanda sorta lost interest at that point. We know architecture is a somewhat subjective matter, kiddies, but when it comes to these places there ain’t no two ways about it: Rihanna likes herself some ass-ugly houses.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Fast forward a few more years and here we are, barreling through 2017. A couple months ago, our trusty pal Vlad the Revealer at Celebrity Address Aerial reached out to ask about a mysterious blind trust that had just paid a fat $6,800,000 for an almost-brand-new mansion perched near the base of Nichols Canyon in the Hollywood Hills.
Y’all can imagine our surprise when we cracked the trust and discovered that the new owner is none other than Ms. Robyn Fenty herself. And we’re sorry to report that it does not appear her taste level has improved much over the past eight years.
Don’t think we’re being snotty, kiddies. Rihanna’s new roost is certainly a step-up in style from some of her prior residences, but the whole “Contemporary Mediterranean” architectural style gives your gurl more heartburn than that bottle of cheap brandy we just downed. Those two architectural designs should never meet, because it just never works out. And we’re pretty sure that commandment is in the Bible. Okay?
Anyway, the fancy 7,130-square-foot mini-compound was originally built on spec. Completed in 2015, the property was immediately sold for $7,400,000 to a fellow named Timothy Redman-Manna. Yolanda confesses we know little about Mr. Redman-Manna, beyond that he hails from the UK. How or why he bought a $7.4 million house in Hollywood remains a mystery to us, but within two years Mr. Redman-Manna flipped the house at a $600,000 loss to the bargain-hunting Rihanna.
Arched windows in the dining room provide plenty of light, and glass wine cellar/rack promises a good time to Ms. Fenty’s guests. The sleek kitchen is decked out with a full array of expensive appliances, and other recreational rooms on the main level include a billiard room with polished hardwood floors and a blue-and-grey movie theater.
The second floor of the main residence boasts three guest/family bedroom suites, plus a luxurious master with a fireplace, private patio, and a sitting area. Out back there’s also a two-story guesthouse with garage parking and a serious-looking gym on the upper level. The .43-acre lot (generous for this area) includes an infinity pool with inset spa also includes plenty of off-street parking.
Much to Yolanda’s surprise, a thorough scrub of property records reveals that this is not the only LA property currently owned by Ms. Fenty. Way back in October 2014, she secretly dropped $5,450,000 for a mid-floor condo in The Century residential skyscraper. Has 3,560-square-feet of living space with 3 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms.
Other Century residents include a couple of bazillionaire widows — Candy Spelling and Vicki Walters — plus actor Matthew Perry, socialite Dorothy Wang, and high-end Indonesian property developer Tommy Silfanus.
In November 2016, Rihanna also forked out another $925,000 for another condo unit in a different (and less fancy) Wilshire Corridor building. Records show that this building was last overhauled in 1978 and the unit in question has 2,064-square-feet with 3 beds and baths. Yolanda would guess that this space is for staff or family member(s), but who really knows?
Now let’s hope and pray that Ms. Fenty’s architectural taste continues to improve as she grows older and wiser — this place is a small step in the right direction, despite Yolanda’s usual negativity. Who knows, maybe she’ll get that billionaire boytoy to put a ring on it and she’ll start devoting all her time to collecting and preserving every last Neutra, Paul Williams, and Frank Lloyd Wright.
It could happen! You never know. And that’s something we can all drink to, okay?
Listing agents: James Harris & David Parnes, The Agency
Rihanna’s agent: Jackie Smith, The Agency