DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. – E be like say fame no be everything o! Atlanta rapper Silentó, wey become world superstar with im viral jam ‘Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)’ back in 2015, don enter prison for 30 years after e plead guilty for killing im cousin.
This drama unfold for DeKalb County Court wey happen on Wednesday. The rapper, wey real name na Ricky Lamar Hawk, accept say hin dey mentally ill but still get wahala wey involve manslaughter. Na so judge fit take him down from malice murder wey dem charge am originally.
As part of di plea deal, Silentó also agree say he commit aggravated assault, hold gun while dem dey carry out crime, and even hide di death of im cousin, Frederick Rooks. One murder charge wey dey heavy for mind drop as part of di negotiation, but na 30 years na im sentence.
According to police, Rooks’ body land for ground outside one house for Panthersville area, with bullet wound for hin face and leg on January 21, 2021. Security camera footage show say one white BMW SUV dey flee di area quick-quick after di gunshots. Na so di investigation carry dem go find di truth.
Family members of both sides don talk for di court hearing, wey show say dem still dey feel di pain. “I’m sorry for both sides,” one family member don yarn to di judge. Rooks’ sister dey vex say di sentence no clear enough, as she still dey hope say justice go shine for her family.
Silentó na junior for Redan High School when im drop di song wey turn everybody to dancers. E even reach No. 3 for di Billboard Hot 100 and his video collect more than 1.9 billion views for YouTube. But behind di glitz and glitter, di rapper dey suffer from mental health wahala wey no dey play small. In past interviews, he don talk about di pressure wey fame don put for hin head from childhood.
After di incident, him publicist Chanel Hudson don try paint a picture of wetin dey happen for Silentó side. She don talk how im struggle with depressive feelings and mental illness for long, revealing how e don dey attempt to handle di demons for im mind, saying, “I’ve been fighting demons my whole life.” Na true talk be dat o. Even with di shine, he no escape di shadows of him past.
As Silentó dey serve hin time, one thing wey clear be say, mental health na serious matter wey no go just waka pass because person dey a celebrity. And as dem talk am, “no be all that glitters be gold.” Make we dey watch di drama unfold.
