Atlanta rapper Silentó, best known for his viral 2015 hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to the 2021 killing of his cousin, Frederick Rooks III.
His mugshot surfaces online as he begins his 30 year sentence.
As previously reported, The 27-year-old artist, born Ricky Lamar Hawk, appeared in a Georgia courtroom a few weeks ago, where he formally accepted a plea deal and addressed the court following years of legal proceedings and personal struggles with mental health.
Silentó entered a plea of “guilty but mentally ill” to charges of voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. In exchange, prosecutors dropped the murder charge, resulting in a 30-year prison sentence followed by an additional 10 years of probation.
The fatal shooting occurred on January 21, 2021, near Decatur, Georgia. Police found Rooks dead at the scene, having sustained gunshot wounds to the face and leg. Surveillance footage and ballistic evidence led investigators to Hawk, who was arrested on February 1, 2021. According to court documents, Hawk admitted to the shooting during a police interview conducted ten days after the incident.
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