Silentó, the rapper known for his 2015 viral hit Watch Me, would spend 30 years behind bars. He was reportedly convicted of voluntary manslaughter on Wednesday.
Sources say the charges relate to the shooting death of his cousin, Frederick Rooks, in January 2021. Silentó, born Richard Lamar Hawk, is said to have pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the charge of voluntary manslaughter.
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He also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and concealing the death of another, but the murder charge was dropped as part of his plea deal.
Reports indicate Rooks’ body was found abandoned on a road outside a home near Panthersville, Georgia, close to Atlanta, on January 21, 2021.
READ ALSO: ‘Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)’ rapper Silento sentenced for cousin’s shooting death
Hawk was originally arrested by DeKalb County Police Department in Georgia in February in connection with the killing.
The singer’s representatives issued a statement on his behalf after the court verdict, saying he will continue to make music and work on becoming a better person.
“I can’t reverse time, but I can serve the time I’ve been given lawfully and strive to positively contribute to whatever my new environment may be.
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I entered this industry as a teenager, often without proper guidance or direction. While that is not an excuse, it is part of my truth. I pray for growth, evolution, and the ability to find forgiveness—for myself and for this entire situation. God bless y’all,” the statement cited by some outlets read.
An attorney for Hawk said the young talent had been dealing with mental illness since age 12 but expressed the hope that there would be continued improvement in his mental health.
Silentó’s one-time hit Watch Me popularized two separate dance crazes, known as the ‘whip’ and the ‘nae nae’. The song reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and currently sits at 1.9 billion views on YouTube.
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The rapper is said to have suffered from mental health issues in recent years, including attempts to take his own life in 2020.
