Insider sources confirm that popular Atlanta rapper Silentó was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Tuesday, June 11, in DeKalb County.
The artist, who gained fame with the 2015 viral sensation “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” entered a plea of guilty but mentally ill for voluntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting death of his cousin. Silentó, whose real name is Ricky Lamar Hawk, confessed to the fatal shooting of 34-year-old Frederick Rooks in January 2021 outside a residence in Decatur, Georgia.
The prosecution presented evidence showing Silentó had fired several rounds at Rooks, who was discovered dead on site with multiple gunshot injuries. As part of a plea bargain, Silentó also pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault and gun possession during the execution of a felony. The court accepted the plea on the condition that Silentó receives mental health treatment while in prison. The artist’s legal representation disclosed a history of mental illness, including a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, characterized by a documented history of psychiatric hospitalizations and erratic behavior leading up to the fatal incident.
In the months preceding the shooting, Silentó had multiple run-ins with the law, facing charges for domestic violence and weapons possession. In one notable incident in 2020, he was accused of entering a stranger’s home, armed with a hatchet, in search of his girlfriend. Investigative reports reveal Silentó believed Rooks was plotting against him, a delusion reportedly linked to his struggles with mental health. However, no evidence was found to corroborate this claim.
Silentó shot to fame at the tender age of 17 with the breakout hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” which garnered millions of views on YouTube and landed him on the Billboard Hot 100. However, his swift ascent to fame was followed by a series of legal and personal issues that disrupted his music career.
