Rapper Silentó Sentenced to 30 Years In Prison for Killing His Cousin

Atlanta rapper Silentó, of “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” fame has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the 2021 shooting death of his cousin.

The DeKalb County District Attorney announced on Wednesday that the 27-year-old rapper, born Ricky Lamar Hawk, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, as well as concealing the death of another — Frederick Rooks III.

As we told you, DeKalb County Police found Rooks suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, with bullet casings at the scene.

Investigators eventually used ballistic testing to match the shell casings found at the scene with a gun found in Silentó’s possession.

10 days later, the rapper eventually confessed to the slaying … but shouldered some of the blame to a significant mental health crisis he suffered from since he was a child. He reportedly even tried to take his own life in 2020.