Silento Gets 30 Year Prison Sentence For Killing His Cousin

Silento has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the 2021 killing of his cousin, Frederick Rooks, according to court records obtained by XXL. The rapper, best known for his viral 2015 single “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae),” pleaded guilty but mentally ill to charges related to the fatal shooting on Wednesday in DeKalb County Court in Georgia.

In response to pleading guilty, his malice murder charge was dropped. Instead, he’s got charges of voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and concealing the death of another. The manslaughter charge contributed 20 years to his sentence, while aggravated assault and firearm possession each netted him another five. He also got time served since his arrest in February of 2021.

Silento broke into mainstream popularity with the release of his 2015 song, “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae).” The track peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, a position where it spent six non-consecutive weeks. The music video incorporates both of the titular dance moves, the “Whip” and the “Nae Nae.” It has reached just under 2 billion views on YouTube over the last decade. Despite the popularity of the song, it proved to be extremely divisive, with many critics labeling it among the worst tracks of the year.

Silento has dealt with numerous legal issues in the years since its release. In 2020, authorities arrested him for allegedly breaking into a random home with a hatchet while looking for his girlfriend. That same year, he was booked for driving 143 miles per hour on a highway in Georgia.

In 2021, police arrested him after discovering Rooks with gunshot wounds to his face and leg. He eventually succumbed to his injuries, and authorities charged Silento with malice murder and felony murder in the attack. According to a report from TMZ at the time, even the rapper’s grandparents asked the judge to deny his $25,000 bail request.