Silento Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Killing His Cousin

Published: June 12, 2025

Silento, the Atlanta-based rapper known for his 2015 hit single "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the 2021 killing of his cousin, Frederick Rooks III.

The 27-year-old rapper, whose real name is Ricky Lamar Hawk, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to voluntary manslaughter of his cousin. He also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and concealing the death of another.

According to the DeKalb County Police Department, officers arrived at the scene around 3:37 a.m. on January 21, 2021, and found Rooks suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. By the time EMS arrived, Rooks was pronounced dead. Investigators recovered 10 bullet casings near his body.

A relative told officers that Hawk and Rooks were last seen together after the rapper picked Rooks up from a friend's home in a white BMW SUV. The same vehicle was captured on a neighbor's home security footage, fleeing the area at a high rate of speed minutes after the other residents heard the gunfire.

Hawk admitted to shooting his cousin on February 1, 2021, after he was taken into custody. His PR manager, Chanel Hudson, released a statement asking for prayers for her client, citing Hawk's struggles with mental health.

Prior to Rooks' fatal January 2021 shooting, Hawk was arrested and charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon after he was accused of attacking two people with a hatchet in August 2020 incident happened when prosecutors alleged that Silentó entered a Los Angeles home of individuals he did not know as the rapper looked for his girlfriend.

In 2019, Hawk opened up about his struggles with mental health, 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, and while everybody's looking at you, they're also judging you."

If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

Rapper Silento performs in concert during 2019 Super Bowl Live. Paras Griffin/Getty