*Rapper Silentó has been sentenced to 30 years in prison following a guilty plea linked to his cousin’s death.
Born Ricky Lamar “Ricky” Hawk, the 27-year-old, best known for his 2015 hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” pleaded guilty but mentally ill to voluntary manslaughter, a lesser charge than the original malice murder count, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The plea stems from a January 2021 incident, and he received credit for time served since February of that year.
The case began when DeKalb County Police found 34-year-old Frederick Rooks dead from gunshot wounds to the face and leg on a Panthersville road southeast of Atlanta around 3:30 a.m. on January 21. Following a thorough investigation, Silentó was identified as the perpetrator and arrested on June 9, 2021. He was charged with felony murder.
As part of the plea deal, Silentó admitted guilt to aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during a felony, and concealing a death, while a separate felony murder charge was dismissed. Authorities linked bullet casings to a gun in his possession at the time of arrest, and he confessed shortly after.
Silento and his team released a statement after he was sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing his cousin https://t.co/OYMu1JVFnD pic.twitter.com/7OIWrFNPSf
— Akademiks TV (@AkademiksTV) June 12, 2025
Scroll to continue reading
Silentó’s publicist, Chanel Hudson, addressed his mental health struggles on social media post-arrest, writing, “Over the past several years, Ricky has been suffering immensely from a series of mental illnesses. We will continue in his efforts of treatment, but we ask in the meantime the public uplift him and his family in immediate prayer & positive energy!!”
He had previously attempted suicide in 2020. Silentó’s legal troubles extended beyond this case, with prior arrests in 2020 for domestic violence involving a hatchet and for driving 143 mph on Interstate 85.
His music career peaked with “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” amassing over 400 million Spotify streams and 1.5 billion YouTube views.
MORE FROM EURWEB.COM: Rapper Silento Charged with Murdering His Cousin in Georgia
Sign up for our Free daily newsletter HERE.
