Rapper Silento Sentenced to 30 Years For Murder
‘Watch me whip’ rapper Silento was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, for murdering his cousin.
Rapper Silento Sentenced to 30 Years For Murder
It’s been a decade since Silento, real name Ricky Hawk, soared to fame with his signature song “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae).”
Despite his social media dance craze success, Hawk has openly discussed his struggles with depression and mental illness, notably during his 2019 appearance on “The Doctors,” where he stated,
“Depression doesn’t leave you when you become famous. It just adds more pressure.” He added, “I don’t know if I can truly be happy… I don’t know if these demons will ever go away.”
Years before that shooting, Hawk ended up facing charges for some pretty wild incidents, including going over 140 mph on a Georgia highway and trying to assault two people in L.A. with a hatchet.
In January 2021, the then 27-year-old was indicted for a deadly shooting that killed his 34-year-old cousin, Frederick Rooks III. Hawk has remained in custody at the DeKalb County Jail since the indictment.
Recently, the DeKalb County Superior Court judge sentenced him to 30 years in prison.
Following his plea, Silento had pleaded guilty but mentally ill to four felony charges: voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, concealing the death of another, and gun possession. He admitted to the shooting, and the gun he was carrying matched the bullets found at the scene.
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