Rapper Silentó Sentenced to 30 Years for Cousin’s 2021 Killing
On June 11, DeKalb County Judge Courtney L. Johnson sentenced Atlanta rapper Silentó—real name Ricky Lamar Hawk—to 30 years in prison after he pleaded guilty but mentally ill in connection with the 2021 killing of his cousin, Frederick Rooks III. Hawk admitted to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, firearm possession during a crime, and concealing a death. As part of a plea deal, the initial murder charges were reduced.
In the early morning of January 21, 2021, police responded to gunfire at a suburban home near Decatur. They found 34-year-old Rooks with multiple gunshot wounds and 10 shell casings nearby. Surveillance footage captured a white BMW SUV fleeing the scene—later linked to Hawk, who had driven his cousin home earlier.
Hawk was arrested on February 1, 2021. During questioning, he confessed to the shooting. Ballistics tests confirmed that the bullets matched the gun recovered in his possession.
Hawk’s defense emphasized his ongoing mental health struggles, which included suicidal thoughts and flash episodes:
- In 2019, he openly discussed depression and anxiety on The Doctors.
- His publicist, Chanel Hudson, confirmed a suicide attempt in 2020.
- Other legal issues included a 2020 arrest for domestic violence involving a hatchet and a speeding incident at 143 mph.
The plea acknowledged his mental illness while imposing accountability for the violent crime.
At sentencing, family members expressed anguish and dissatisfaction:
- Rooks’s siblings criticized the 30-year sentence as too lenient.
- One family member said: “We just want justice…”
Silentó soared to fame in 2015 with the viral hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)”, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 while he was still in high school. However, his rise was followed by turbulent behavior, legal troubles, and mental health concerns leading to this tragedy.
