ATLANTA (CelebrityAccess) — Atlanta rapper Silentó, best known for his viral hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to the shooting death of his cousin in 2021.
The 27-year-old artist, whose real name is Ricky Hawk, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to charges of voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and concealing the death of another in connection with the fatal incident.
“This was not a crime of passion or one committed by a morally depraved person. He was mentally ill,” Hawk’s attorney, Keith Adams, told ABC News. “Unfortunately, Ricky’s mental illness has been an issue since the age of 12, even during his success as an artist and beyond.”
Hawk was charged following a January 21, 2021, incident when DeKalb County police officers responded to reports of a shooting in the early morning hours. Responding officers found 34-year-old Fred Rooks III dead at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds.
Witnesses in the area reported hearing gunshots, and surveillance footage from a nearby home showed a white SUV fleeing the scene at high speed, according to DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston.
Hawk was later taken into custody and admitted to shooting Rooks. Ballistic tests matched shell casings from the scene to a firearm in Hawk’s possession at the time of his arrest. GPS data from his BMW SUV also placed him at the scene of the shooting.
Adams emphasized that Hawk’s long-standing mental health struggles played a significant role in the killing. He added that the voluntary manslaughter conviction makes Hawk eligible for parole, likely within the next decade, and that his sentence will likely be served in a mental health treatment facility rather than a traditional prison.
