Silentó, the rapper who skyrocketed to global fame with his 2015 viral hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” has officially begun serving a 30-year prison sentence for the 2021 shooting death of his cousin, Frederick Rooks III. The 27-year-old artist, whose real name is Ricky Lamar Hawk, was processed into the Georgia Department of Corrections this week, his once-iconic image replaced by a stark mugshot featuring a completely shaved head.
On June 11, 2025, Silentó stood before DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Courtney L. Johnson and pleaded guilty but mentally ill to voluntary manslaughter and additional charges tied to the death of his 34-year-old cousin. Under a plea agreement, the original charge of murder with malice was reduced to voluntary manslaughter, resulting in a 30-year prison sentence.
Silentó also admitted guilt to aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and concealing the death of another. The voluntary manslaughter charge carries a 20-year term, with the firearm and concealment charges adding five years each. A separate felony murder charge was dropped as part of the deal.
The fatal incident unfolded in the early hours of January 21, 2021, at the intersection of Deep Shoals Circle and Corners Crossing in the Panthersville area of unincorporated Decatur, Georgia. Responding officers discovered Rooks with multiple gunshot wounds to his face and leg, surrounded by ten spent bullet casings. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Security footage from a nearby residence captured a white BMW SUV speeding away moments after the shots rang out. Family members reported that Rooks had last been seen with Silentó, who had picked him up earlier that evening in a matching vehicle. Silentó was arrested on February 1, 2021, and confessed to the shooting during an interview with investigators. Ballistic evidence later confirmed that a gun in Hawk’s possession matched the casings found at the crime scene.
Silentó’s defense team highlighted his persistent mental health challenges throughout the legal process. Attorney Keith Adams emphasized,
“This was not a crime of passion or a crime of a morally depraved person. He was mentally ill.”
Adams noted that Silentó’s struggles began at age 12 and continued even as he achieved fame. While incarcerated, Silentó received a diagnosis of severe bipolar disorder. His publicist, Chanel Hudson, had previously shared that the rapper was “suffering immensely from a series of mental health illnesses,” including a suicide attempt in 2020. In a 2019 appearance on The Doctors, Silentó opened up about his battles, saying,
“I’ve been fighting demons my whole life, my whole life. Depression doesn’t leave you when you become famous, it just adds more pressure.”
Georgia state records list Silentó’s maximum potential release date as January 31, 2051. However, his attorney suggested that the voluntary manslaughter plea could make him eligible for parole “sometime within the next decade or so,” a significant reduction from the 30-year minimum he would have faced under a murder conviction. Given his “guilty but mentally ill” plea, Silentó is expected to be housed in a facility equipped to manage his mental health needs rather than a standard prison.
Silentó expressed regret and a desire to move forward constructively after his sentencing. In a public statement, he said,
“I will continue to make music and work on becoming the best possible version of myself. 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.”
Silento’s journey from teenage sensation to convicted felon marks a dramatic and tragic arc. At 17, the suburban Atlanta high school junior released “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” in 2015, a track that climbed to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and ignited a worldwide dance craze. As of June 2025, its music video boasts over 1.9 billion YouTube views. Yet, his career unraveled starting in 2020 with a string of legal issues, including charges for domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon, and reckless driving. These troubles preceded the fatal shooting that now defines his legacy.
