Silentó, the rapper behind the 2015 viral hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for fatally shooting his cousin in 2021.
The 27-year-old, real name Ricky Hawk, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to voluntary manslaughter and related charges. A murder charge was dropped as part of his plea deal.
His cousin, Frederick Rooks III, was found shot multiple times near Decatur, Georgia. Evidence, including surveillance footage, GPS data, and ballistics, linked Silentó to the crime. He confessed shortly after his arrest.
Once a teenage music sensation, Silentó publicly battled depression and mental health struggles. He previously admitted to fighting “demons” even at the height of his fame and was arrested multiple times in the year leading up to the shooting.
His case is a sobering reminder of the dangers of untreated mental illness, even under the spotlight of viral fame.
