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The Atlanta rapper, Silento, has been charged with murdering his cousin in DeKalb County Georgia. Silento was arrested on Feb. 1, 2021, and charged with shooting his family member.
On January 21 officers responded to reports of shots fired in the Panthersville area. Upon arrival, they found 34-year-old Frederick Rooks with multiple gunshot wounds. Rooks was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to police spokeswoman Michaela Vincent, Silento is being held without bail at the DeKalb jail.
He was born on Jan. 22, 1998, under the name Ricky Lamar Hawk in Conyers, Georgia. The rapper quickly rose to fame in 2015 when he released his song “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae).” He recorded the song in December 2014 and released it on his YouTube channel in late January 2015.
In the course of a week, his song received over 2.5 million views in the United States. Following his success, the rapper signed on with Capitol Records. Afterward, they re-released his hit song.
Silento described the inspiration for his song in an interview.
The Whip and the Nae Nae were two different dances. I just got tired of seeing people do them, so I started doing my own rendition where I was doing them both.
They shot the video for the song in Atlanta, Georgia. It featured the rapper dancing with fans, university and high school cheerleaders, and dance crews.
Silento stated that they had recorded the song “one day after school.”
I had been asking Bolo to produce the song for me for about three months, and he didn’t think it was going to be anything, but when we did the song and dropped it on SoundCloud, it took off.
According to the DeKalb Police Department, they are still trying to determine the reasoning behind the shooting.
Silento has had a history of legal issues. In September 2020 he was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Allegedly the rapper attempted to attack two people — inside their home — with a hatchet.
He was accused of driving 143 mph on a Georgia highway in October 2020. Allegedly he told officers that he was not “A regular person” when they arrested him.
According to TMZ, his manager — Chanel Hudson — has asked for positive thoughts for Silento. She claims the rapper has suffered from a “series of mental health illnesses” for several years.
Hudson hopes that Silento’s fans will continue to support and uplift him. She further states that she hopes they will keep his family in their prayers.
Written by Sheena Robertson
Sources:
TMZ: SILENTO CHARGED WITH MURDERING COUSIN … Manager Claims He’s Mentally Ill
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Atlanta rapper Silento charged with murdering his cousin in DeKalb; Henri Hollis
Ace Showbiz: Silento Biography
Featured Image Courtesy of Karin Beil’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License