Atlanta rapper Silentó, once a household name thanks to his 2015 viral hit “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty but mentally ill in connection to the 2021 shooting death of his cousin, Frederick Rooks.
The incident took place in January 2021, when Rooks was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in Panthersville, Georgia. Surveillance footage linked Silentó to the crime, showing a vehicle registered to him leaving the scene. Ballistic evidence and further investigation led to his arrest and eventual confession.
Initially facing a murder charge, Silentó accepted a plea deal that saw him plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and concealing the death of another. Prosecutors dropped the murder charge as part of the agreement, and the court handed down a 30-year prison sentence.
Rooks’ family expressed disappointment over the outcome, believing the sentence was too lenient given the nature of the crime. The courtroom heard how the killing left lasting pain and trauma for the victim’s loved ones.
Once celebrated for a dance anthem that took the world by storm, Silentó’s life spiraled out of control in the years following his rise to fame. He faced multiple run-ins with the law, including a 2020 incident where he was accused of breaking into a home with a hatchet, as well as domestic violence and reckless driving charges.
Silentó had also publicly spoken about his struggles with mental health, admitting to battles with depression and suicidal thoughts. He described how the pressures of sudden fame only worsened his mental state, something that ultimately contributed to the tragic events that unfolded.
