‘Whip/Nae Nae’ rapper Silentó sentenced to 30 years for killing cousin

MANY may recall the viral dance anthem "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," the 2015 hit that propelled Atlanta rapper Ricky Lamar Hawk, better known as Silentó, to international fame.

Now, the 27-year-old artist has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty but mentally ill to charges connected to the 2021 shooting death of his cousin, 34-year-old Frederick Rooks III.

As part of a plea agreement, a murder charge against Hawk was dropped.

However, he pleaded guilty to several other charges, including voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and concealing a death.

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston confirmed the sentence in a statement issued on Wednesday, June 11. According to DeKalb County police, officers responded to reports of gunfire at around 3.37am on January 21, 2021 in the Panthersville area, near Decatur, Georgia.

Upon arrival, they discovered Rooks lying at the intersection of Deep Shoals Circle and Corners Crossing, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical services. Investigators recovered 10 spent shell casings near his body.

Surveillance footage and GPS data later placed Hawk’s white BMW SUV at the scene. Ballistic tests confirmed that a gun found in his possession matched the weapon used in the shooting.

A relative had earlier informed police that the rapper had picked up Rooks from a friend’s house shortly before the incident. Security footage from a neighbour’s home captured the same vehicle fleeing the area at high speed shortly after gunshots were heard.

Hawk confessed to the shooting on February 1, 2021, following his arrest.

Hawk’s defence team and publicist pointed to his long standing mental health struggles as a major contributing factor. The rapper has previously spoken about battling depression, even appearing on the US talk show The Doctors in 2019 to share his experience with suicidal thoughts and the pressure of sudden fame.

“I’ve been fighting demons my whole life, my whole life.

“Depression doesn’t leave you when you become famous, it just adds more pressure. And while everybody’s looking at you, they’re also judging you.

“I don’t know if I can truly be happy, I don’t know if these demons will ever go away,” the artist said.

His publicist confirmed that he had attempted suicide in 2020 and was grappling with serious mental health issues in the lead-up to the killing.

In the meantime, Judge Courtney L. Johnson presided over the case at the DeKalb County Superior Court.

While Hawk received a 30-year prison term, Rooks’ family expressed disappointment, believing the sentence to be too lenient in light of the severity of the crime.

Before the killing, Hawk had several run-ins with the law. In 2020, he was arrested for reckless driving and for breaking into a home while wielding a hatchet.

In Aug of the same year, he was detained in Santa Ana, California, on a domestic violence charge. Just a day later, he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly entering a residence uninvited and swinging a hatchet at two individuals.

Hawk’s legal team has called on the public to show compassion and support for the troubled rapper and his family, asking for prayers and positive energy during what they described as an extremely difficult period.