Rap star Silento charged with murder of cousin

2 February 2021, 06:00 | Updated: 2 February 2021, 08:33

Rapper Silento, known for the 2015 viral song Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae), has been charged with the murder of his cousin, police have said.

The 23-year-old, real name is Richard Lamar Hawk, was arrested on Monday for the killing of Frederick Rooks, according to the DeKalb County Police Department in Georgia.

The force said Rooks, 34, was found with multiple gunshot wounds on January 21, and died from his injuries.

Hawk was identified as the suspect and arrested, and police say they are working to determine a motive for the killing.

Hawk is in the DeKalb County Jail, they added.

In September the hip-hop star was charged with assault after allegedly attacking two strangers with a hatchet in Los Angeles.

He was alleged to have walked into a stranger's unlocked home and attacked two people before one of them disarmed him, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae) was a viral hit in 2015 and spawned a dance challenge.

Despite its popularity, it was largely panned by critics. Pop culture magazine Complex called it "one of the most annoying things to ever exist".