The man whose viral 2015 single “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” catapulted him to global fame overnight will spend decades in prison over his cousin’s death.
In DeKalb County Court on Wednesday, Ricky Lamar Hawk, known by his stage name Silentó, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to charges related to the fatal shooting of his cousin, Frederick Rooks, in January 2021.
As part of a plea deal, Hawk pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter after originally being charged with malice murder. He also pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and concealing the death of another…