It’s kind of hard to believe, honestly. Silentó—the guy who gave us the viral hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)”—is now going to spend 30 years in prison. His real name’s Ricky Hawk, and this all goes back to a tragic event in January 2021, when he shot and killed his cousin, Frederick Rooks. He’s pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter but also said he was mentally ill at the time. That means the court agreed he wasn’t in a stable state of mind. Even though he won’t face a murder charge now, 30 years is still a long time to sit with what happened.
What Happened That Night
So, here’s how it all went down. Frederick Rooks was found dead in a Georgia neighborhood early one morning in 2021. He’d been shot multiple times. Police started digging and pretty quickly, all signs pointed to Silentó. They had camera footage, witness reports, and it just didn’t look good. He’d picked up his cousin in a white BMW, and right after that, neighbors heard gunshots. Then the car was seen speeding off. Cops arrested Silentó a couple days later, and according to reports, he admitted to shooting Frederick during questioning.
Mental Health Was a Big Part of the Case
One thing that came up a lot in this case was Silentó’s mental health. His legal team said he’d been struggling for years, with things like depression and emotional breakdowns. Back in 2020, he even had a public meltdown and reportedly tried to take his own life. When he finally pled guilty, it was with the condition that the court recognize his mental illness—and they did. Still, this plea didn’t erase what happened. It just gave the court a bigger picture of everything that led up to that night. It’s honestly just sad all around—for both him and his cousin’s family.
The Sentence and What Comes Next
The judge sentenced Silentó to 30 years in prison, and that includes time for not just manslaughter, but also for having a gun during the crime and trying to cover it up. The victim’s family spoke during the hearing too, and they were emotional. They said 30 years wasn’t enough. They felt like their brother, uncle, and cousin was taken from them too soon, and they wanted more justice. But at the end of the day, this was the deal. Silentó is now in state custody, and it’s likely he’ll spend most of those 30 years behind bars.
