*Rapper Silentó, best known for the hit single “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” was arrested and charged with murdering his cousin in Georgia on February 1.
Silentó (born Richard Lamar “Ricky” Hawk), 23, was taken into custody Monday morning and charged with felony murder in the death of Frederick Rooks, a statement from the DeKalb County Police Department via Twitter.
Rooks was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds at a home in Panthersville, Georgia, on January 21. He was 34.
After a “thorough investigation” Silentó was identified as the “person responsible for Rooks’ murder,” police spokesperson Michaela Vincent told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
READ MORE: Mariah Carey Sued by Her Estranged Sister Alison Over Memoir Allegations
Here’s more from NBC News:
A DeKalb County Police Department incident report shows that officers found Frederick Rooks, 34, lying on a road in Panthersville, southeast of Atlanta, about 3:30 a.m. Jan. 21. Rooks had been shot in the face and a leg, the report says. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Neighbors heard several gunshots and alerted authorities, the report says. Security video showed several cars fleeing, one honking its horn.
The former teenage rap sensation was arrested twice in 2020, one for domestic violence and assault involving a hatchet and another on driving charges for driving 143 mph on Interstate 85.
Silentó’s 2015 song “Whip/Nae Nae” earned him a top spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video for the track and dance craze has been viewed more than 1.5 billion times on YouTube.
Shortly before his arrest for murder, the one-hit-wonder reportedly asked fans on his Instagram story to send him money via CashApp for “selfies, videos and shoutouts”.
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
