Silentó, known for “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” sentenced to 30 years in prison for the 2021 murder of his cousin

Atlanta-based rapper Silentó, whose real name is Ricky Hawk, was sentenced to 30 years behind bars on June 11, 2025. The 27-year-old, who had once released the 2015 Smash hit "Watch Me (Whip/ Nae Nae)," pleaded guilty but mentally ill to charges of voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, and others in connection with the shooting of Frederick Rooks, identified as Ricky Hawk’s cousin.

On January 21, 2021, police officers with the DeKalb County Police received a report that a person had been shot. Upon arrival, the police discovered Rooks with multiple gunshot wounds outside a home in the Panthersville area of Georgia.

Rooks was pronounced dead at the scene. After the investigation, Hawk was arrested, who reportedly confessed to shooting Rooks. Police also revealed that shell casings found at the crime scene matched the ones on the gun recovered from the rapper during his arrest. Surveillance footage from the area reportedly showed a white BMW SUV fleeing the crime scene.

More details on the murder case as Silentó gets sentenced to 30 years behind bars

Neighbors told police that they heard gunshots, while a family member informed officers that Rooks was last seen with Hawk, who had picked him up from a friend’s home in a white vehicle.

After Hawk was arrested in connection with the murder, his PR manager, Chanel Hudson, released a statement imploring fans and well-wishers to pray for him, stating that the rapper had been suffering from mental health issues:

"Please send my client Silentó some positive vibrations. Over the past several years, Ricky has been suffering immensely from a series of mental health illnesses. We will continue in his efforts of treatment, but we ask in the meantime the public uplift him and his family in immediate prayer and positive energy!!

Hudson described the rapper as a beautiful soul:

"Ricky is a beautiful soul, and we hope that the same people who came up whipping’ & nay nay-in with him, continue to support him and lifted in prayer!! God bless"

Silentó’s most popular track, Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae), was released in March 2015 while he was still a junior in high school. The smash hit song peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent six non-consecutive weeks there.

"Watch Me" ranked number 19 on the UK Singles chart. The song was popular due to the dance move associated with it. Silentó released his first full-length album, Fresh Outta High School, in 2019.

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