American rapper Silento, known for his hit song Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae), has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the shooting death of his cousin. The 27-year-old artist, whose real name is Ricky Lamar Hawk, was convicted for the 2021 killing of 34-year-old Frederick Rooks III. According to DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston, Hawk pleaded guilty but mentally ill to voluntary manslaughter. He also admitted guilt in related charges, including aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during a crime, and concealing a death.
Police reports show that officers responded to a call around 3:37 a.m. on January 21, 2021, and found Rooks with multiple gunshot wounds in the Panthersville area of Georgia. Emergency responders confirmed his death at the scene. Investigators recovered 10 shell casings close to his body. Witnesses told authorities that Hawk had picked up Rooks earlier that night in a white BMW SUV. Security footage from a neighbor captured the same vehicle speeding away shortly after gunfire was heard.
Hawk confessed to the killing after his arrest on February 1, 2021. His publicist, Chanel Hudson, issued a statement following his detention, asking the public to pray for him. She noted that Hawk had struggled with mental illness for several years and called for support as he continued treatment. She described him as a “beautiful soul” and asked fans to remember the joy his music once brought.
Before this incident, Hawk had been charged in 2020 with assault after allegedly attacking two people with a hatchet in Los Angeles. Prosecutors said he had entered a stranger’s home while looking for his girlfriend.
In 2019, during an appearance on The Doctors, Hawk spoke openly about his battle with mental illness. He shared that depression had been a constant struggle in his life, even after finding fame. He described feeling pressure from public scrutiny and expressed uncertainty about finding true happiness, saying, “I don’t know if these demons will ever go away.”
