‘Watch Me (Whip/ Nae Nae)’ Rapper Sentenced to 30 Years for Killing His Cousin

The rapper who broke the internet in 2015 with ‘Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)’ has just been sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The news comes after the rapper plead guilty to the voluntary manslaughter of his cousin, Frederick Rooks.

The now 27-year-old, real name Richard Lamar Hawk, accepted a plea deal in a Georgia court this week, copping to multiple charges including aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during a felony. The original charge of malice murder was dropped as part of the agreement. Hawk also admitted to concealing the death, which occurred outside Rooks’ home near Atlanta in January 2021.

Rooks was found shot dead in the middle of the road. Hawk was arrested not long after. This wasn’t his first run-in with the law. He’d already made headlines for domestic violence charges, erratic behaviour, and mental health episodes, including a reported suicide attempt in 2020.

It’s a brutal fall from viral fame for someone who was once one of the biggest names on the internet. I mean, ‘Watch Me’ fully exploded. Fuelled by the Vine era and dance challenge culture, the track hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and racked up almost two billion views on YouTube. It mashed together dance crazes like the whip, nae nae, Stanky Legg and Crank That into one TikTok-before-TikTok anthem. And then it all came undone.

Since then, Silentó released a handful of mixtapes – Fresh Outta High School, Skyrolyrics, and Bars Behind Bars (yes, really) but none of them came close to replicating that lightning-in-a-bottle moment.

In court, he pleaded guilty but mentally ill. Reports suggest years of untreated mental health issues may have played a role in the killing, though it’s no consolation to Rooks’ family, who were present at the sentencing.

It’s a tragic, jarring reminder of how quick the internet can crown – and how fast things can spiral when the fame fades and help doesn’t come soon enough.