Popular Rapper Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison For Murder

American rapper Silento has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of his cousin, Frederick Rooks III.

The 27-year-old artiste, known for his 2015 hit Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae), pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm.

The tragic incident occurred in January 2021 when the DeKalb County Police Department found Rooks, 34, dead with multiple gunshot wounds.

Investigations revealed that Silento, whose real name is Richard Lamar Hawk, was last seen with his cousin in a white BMW SUV shortly before the shooting. Surveillance footage captured the same vehicle speeding away from the crime scene moments after the gunfire.

Following his arrest, Silento’s PR manager, Chanel Hudson, disclosed in a statement that the rapper had struggled with mental health issues for several years.

“He has been suffering from a series of mental health illnesses for the past several years,” Hudson stated.

Silento’s legal troubles began even before the shooting. In August 2020, he was charged with two counts of assault after allegedly attacking two people with a hatchet in their home.

In a 2019 appearance on the medical talk show The Doctors, Silento opened up about his struggles, saying, “I have been fighting demons my whole life. I don’t know if these demons will ever go away.”