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'Watch Me' Rapper Silentó Sentenced to 30 Years for Killing His Cousin
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Silentó, the rapper behind the 2015 hit song "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Wednesday after pleading guilty but mentally ill to voluntary manslaughter and other charges relating to the shooting death of his cousin.
Why It Matters
Richard Lamar "Ricky" Hawk, who utilizes the stage name Silentó, was accused of fatally shooting his cousin, 34-year-old Frederick Rooks III, in 2021 in Decatur, Georgia.
The 27-year-old was initially charged with malice murder, but it was downgraded to voluntary manslaughter as part of the plea agreement. A felony murder charge was dropped.
Hawk also pleaded guilty but mentally ill to aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and concealing the death of another, the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office announced in a news release.
Rapper Silento poses for a portrait in New York, July 21, 2015.
Rapper Silento poses for a portrait in New York, July 21, 2015.
Photo by Drew Gurian/Invision/AP, File
What To Know
The DeKalb County Police Department responded to a report of a person shot at around 3:37 a.m. on January 21, 2021. Officers found Rooks suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. EMS arrived at the scene and confirmed that he was deceased.
A family member of the victim told officials that Rooks was last seen with Hawk, who had picked Rooks up from a friend's house in a white BMW SUV. Security camera footage from a home near the crime scene showed a white BMW SUV fleeing the area at a high rate of speed minutes after shots were fired.
Hawk was taken into custody on February 1, 2021. He admitted to shooting Rooks in an interview with investigators.
Ballistics testing revealed that the bullets found at the scene matched the gun found on Hawk at the time of his arrest. GPS data obtained by officials also showed Hawk's BMW at the scene around the time of the shooting.
Chanel Hudson-O'Connor, Hawk's publicist, said he wanted to thank those who shared their support during this "incredibly difficult" time.
"Ricky wants his family, fans, and supporters to know that he is deeply sorry for the pain and disappointment he has caused," Hudson-O'Connor said in a statement posted on Instagram.
Hawk released "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" on SoundCloud in 2015, drawing inspiration from hip-hop dance trends such as the Whip, the Nae Nae, and the Stanky Leg. The song went viral on YouTube and Vine, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.
Hawk was arrested in 2020 in Santa Ana, California, on a domestic violence charge, then released. The Los Angeles Police Department charged him with assault with a deadly weapon the next day after the rapper allegedly entered the wrong home while looking for his girlfriend and swung a hatchet at two people.
Later that year, he was arrested in DeKalb County after officials said they detected him driving 143 miles per hour on Interstate 85. He was later released.
What People Are Saying
Chanel Hudson-O'Connor, in a statement posted on Instagram: "We kindly ask the public to continue praying for all parties involved—especially Ricky—as he continues to battle severe mental health challenges."
Richard Lamar "Ricky" Hawk, in a statement shared by Hudson-O'Connor: "I can't reverse time, but I can serve the time I've been given lawfully, and strive to positively contribute to whatever my new environment may be."
What Happens Next
DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson, who presided over the plea hearing, sentenced Hawk to 30 years in prison.
Hawk has been held at the DeKalb County Jail since his arrest, and he will receive credit for time served.
The Georgia Department of Corrections is responsible for evaluating and treating Hawk's mental health as he serves his sentence, according to state law.
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