23-year-old Richard Hawk, who performs under the name Silento, has been indicted for the shooting death of a family member. The “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” rapper was first arrested in connection to the death of his cousin in February 2021.
Hawk’s team said to TMZ that the musician has suffered from mental health issues for years.
On August 3, he was indicted by a grand jury on four charges: malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
In the early morning hours of January 21, Hawk’s cousin, Frederick Rooks, was found by police in the street, bleeding profusely from gunshot wounds to the face and legs. Rooks died on the scene from injuries sustained and police officers in DeKalb county linked Hawk to the crime.
The rapper, who was in hid mid-teens when he skyrocketed to fame, was previously arrested twice in 2020. The first time was for attacking strangers with a hatchet after he walked in the unlocked home of strangers and began swinging at them. He was then arrested for allegedly driving at 134 mph.
One day before the hatchet incident, Hawk was held on domestic violence charges in California.
His sole popular song, “Watch Me,” peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
He is currently being held without bond.
