Silentó Sentenced to 30 Years for Cousin’s Killing

Atlanta rapper Silentó, best known for the 2015 hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty but mentally ill to the 2021 shooting death of his cousin, Frederick Rooks III.

DeKalb County prosecutors said Silentó—real name Ricky Lamar Hawk—also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, firearm possession during a crime, and concealing a death. Rooks was found fatally shot with multiple wounds in Panthersville, Georgia, in January 2021. Surveillance footage showed a white SUV fleeing the scene shortly after gunfire, and Hawk later admitted to the killing.

The rapper’s legal team and publicist cited long-standing mental health issues. In past interviews, Hawk spoke publicly about battling depression and emotional struggles despite fame.

He had previously faced separate charges for a 2020 hatchet attack in California.

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