The 27-year-old rapper Silentó, known for his chart-topping hit "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," has been handed a harrowing 30-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to the tragic 2021 demise of his cousin. As revealed by court documents scrutinized by USA TODAY, Ricky Lamar Hawk, his real name, pleaded guilty but mentally ill on June 11th to an array of four charges stemming from the incident: voluntary manslaughter (a lesser charge than the initial malice murder count), aggravated assault, possessing a firearm during a felony, and concealing the death of his 34-year-old cousin, Frederick Rooks III.
For the charge of voluntary manslaughter, Hawk was meted out a 20-year prison term, with an additional five years each for firearm possession and concealing the death. His journey to incarceration began with his arrest in February 2021.
On January 21, 2012, authorities in DeKalb County, Georgia, approximately 10 miles southeast of Atlanta, responded to a distress call in Panthersville. At the scene, they discovered Rooks riddled with gunshot wounds, accompanied by ten bullet casings nearby.
Fast forward to February 1, 2021, when Hawk was apprehended after a family member of Rooks informed officers that he was last seen with Hawk during a drive back from a friend's house in a white BMW SUV, which matched the one captured in security footage.
In a police interview, Hawk purportedly confessed to shooting Rooks. Prior to this incident, he had faced charges in Southern California for allegedly threatening two individuals with a hatchet while on bail following a recent arrest. According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, Hawk had "intruded into an unlocked stranger's home" and attempted to strike the occupants with a hatchet before being disarmed by one of them.
"The legal proceedings are still ongoing.
Who is Ricky Lamar Hawk, alias Silentó? At just 17, as a high school student, Hawk seamlessly integrated the iconic "whip" and "nae nae" dances into his 2015 smash hit "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," which lingered on the Billboard Top 100 for an impressive 51 weeks post-release, peaking at the third spot.
His musical journey continued with the release of several albums, including "Bars Behind Bars" in March 2021, which saw the light of day during his incarceration. Amid his viral success, Hawk reminisced to USA TODAY in 2015, "Creating this song was an incredible opportunity. It allowed me to return to school with people marveling, 'Wow, you did it!'"
