Rapper Silento indicted for cousin's murder in Georgia

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Richard Lamar "Ricky" Hawk (DeKalb County Sheriff's Office)

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A grand jury has indicted Atlanta rapper Silentó for the murder of his cousin early this year.

The 23-year-old rapper, whose real name is Ricky Hawk, was arrested for the murder of 34-year-old Frederick Rooks after a shooting on Jan. 21 in DeKalb County.

Police said officers found Rook suffering from multiple gunshot wounds at a home off of Deep Shoals Circle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators did not have a suspect at the time but later identified Hawk as the gunman.

TMZ now reports that a jury charged the rapper with four felonies, including malice murder and felony murder.

Atlanta rapper Silentó charged with murdering cousin

Hawk also faces charges of aggravated assault and possession of a gun during the commission of a felony.

Officers booked Hawk into the DeKalb County jail in February. He is being held without bond.

In February, Chanel Hudson, Hawk's PR manager released a statement that read:

"Please send my client Silentó some positive vibrations. Over the past several years, Ricky has been suffering immensely from a series of mental health illnesses. We will continue in his efforts of treatment, but we ask in the meantime the public uplift him and his family in immediate prayer and positive energy!!

"Ricky is a beautiful soul, and we hope that the same people who came up whipping’ & nay nay-in with him, continue to support him and lifted in prayer!! God bless"

Silentó’s most popular song is "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)" which was released in 2015 when Hawk was just a junior at Redan High School in Stone Mountain. The song charted worldwide and even hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. It also started a social media phenomenon of videos being posted with people dancing to the song.

The artist was featured on several tracks until his first full-length album came out in 2019 called "Fresh Outta High School."

The rapper had previously been arrested in DeKalb County in 2020 after he was accused of driving 143 mph on Interstate 85. He was also charged the same year with trying to hit two people with a hatchet in their home in Los Angeles.