Silentó, the Atlanta rapper who rose to fame with the viral hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)”, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the shooting death of his cousin in 2021, marking a tragic chapter in the artist’s troubled descent.
Highlights
- Silentó pleaded guilty but mentally ill to multiple charges including voluntary manslaughter.
- The 2021 killing of his cousin, Frederick Rooks, was tied to mental health struggles.
- Investigators linked bullet casings and surveillance footage to Silentó.
- Rooks’s family said the punishment did not go far enough.
- Silentó had previous run-ins with the law and documented mental health issues.
Main Story:
Rapper Ricky Lamar Hawk, known to millions as Silentó, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty but mentally ill in the killing of his 34-year-old cousin, Frederick Rooks. The incident occurred in January 2021 in Panthersville, Georgia, when Rooks was found with multiple gunshot wounds on the street.
Police uncovered ten bullet casings at the scene and matched them to a firearm recovered in Hawk’s possession. Surveillance footage and GPS evidence showed Silentó fleeing the area in a white BMW SUV shortly after the shooting. Investigators say Hawk confessed to the crime about ten days later.
As part of a plea deal, Silentó’s original murder charge was dropped, and he admitted guilt under mental illness. His legal team and court records detailed a long history of mental health struggles, including depression, delusions, and a suicide attempt in 2020. This context played a significant role in his sentencing.
Prior to the killing, Hawk had faced multiple arrests ranging from domestic violence and weapon charges in Los Angeles to reckless driving in Georgia. Friends and family had voiced concern about his increasingly erratic behavior in the months leading up to the incident.
During the court proceedings, members of Rooks’s family expressed disappointment with the sentence, believing it did not deliver full justice. Still, the judge ruled that Hawk would serve 30 years behind bars followed by 10 years of probation.
Silentó’s tragic downfall is a haunting reminder that fame can be fleeting but the consequences of unchecked mental health and violence can last a lifetime.
