Silentó Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For The Murder Of His Cousin

In another inescapable, gut-churning local update is the news that Silentó, whose real name is Ricky Lamar Hawk, has finally been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of his cousin, Frederick Rooks, this week. Formerly a viral dance sensation thanks to his 2015 hit single “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” the 27-year-old rapper’s name is back in the news for the wrong reasons.

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced the sentencing in a statement on June 11. Silentó pleaded guilty but mentally ill to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and concealing the death of another. The original murder charge was dropped as part of a plea agreement.

The sentencing is a sad coda to a case that stunned both fans and students of hip-hop culture. On Jan. 21, 2021, Rooks was discovered fatally shot and left in the street in a quiet Atlanta suburb. The discovery in the early morning triggered an investigation that ultimately resulted in the arrest of Silentó, a one-time teen star who later transformed into a viral sensation.

When he was arrested, many were shocked. Silentó’s ascent had been stratospheric. His smash single, rendered in the spring of 2015 when he was just 17, became the backdrop to countless dance videos, parodies, and renditions worldwide. The track reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, bringing him national recognition as a teen idol.

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But behind the scenes, Silentó had been dealing with mental health issues, which he referenced frequently during legal proceedings. His plea of guilty and mentally ill underscores an ongoing discussion around the intersection of mental health and the criminal justice system, and nowhere more so than in the entertainment industry, where young stars can be subjected to early pressure, early fame, and early isolation.

After achieving success at a young age, Silentó’s life was unstable for many years. He had a history of legal troubles, including arrests for domestic violence and public disturbances, before the shooting that killed him. Add in other episodes and a clear retreat from the limelight, and had a picture of a young man in turmoil long before the corner retaining him as a cousin was killed.

With the 30-year sentence comes a loud message of accountability for celebrities and everybody else. But it also highlights the blur of Silentó’s fall from grace, a collision of personal struggle, mental health issues, and the results of unmitigated behavior. Fans who danced to his chart-topping single are now grappling with the darker sides of his story. The case has prompted much reflection on how fame can leave people vulnerable to their demons and how rapidly the highs that come with success can plummet to abject lows.

On his way to prison, Silentó’s legacy is now split as one half attached to a cultural phenomenon that brought millions of fans joy, the other to a senseless act of violence that irreparably changed the courses of whole families. For those who have followed the case, this sentence offers a legal ending, not an emotional one. Frederick Rooks is dead, a young man is locked up for life, and everyone who danced to “Watch Me” as a child is watching a parable.