Atlanta rapper Silentó, known for his 2015 viral hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the 2021 shooting death of his cousin, Frederick Rooks III.
The DeKalb County District Attorney announced that the 27-year-old rapper, whose real name is Ricky Lamar Hawk, pleaded guilty to several serious charges — including voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and concealing the death of another.
As reported by TMZ, Rooks was found with multiple gunshot wounds, and shell casings were recovered at the scene. Surveillance footage later showed Hawk fleeing the area in a white BMW, and ballistic testing matched the casings to a weapon found in his possession.
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Ten days after the killing, Silentó confessed to the crime. However, he reportedly pointed to long-standing mental health struggles, including a suicide attempt in 2020, as a contributing factor in the incident.
Despite those circumstances, the judge ultimately determined that the gravity of the crime warranted a 30-year sentence.
