ATLANTA (AP) – Atlanta rapper Silento, known for his hit song “Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)”, was arrested Monday and charged with murder for the shooting death of his 34-year-old cousin, authorities said.
DeKalb County police said in a statement on Twitter that the 23-year-old rapper, whose legal name is Ricky Hawk, has been arrested in the suburb of Atlanta. According to the police statement, he is in jail in the province, charged with murder in connection with the death of Frederick Rooks on January 21.
The statement did not elaborate on the circumstances of Hawk’s death or arrest.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Hawk was detained late Monday.
The newspaper reported earlier that police responded to a call of gunfire on Jan. 21 at about 3:30 a.m. in the Panthersville community in DeKalb County. The newspaper quoted police as saying officers found Rooks dead with multiple gunshot wounds that evening.
It was not immediately clear if Hawk had a lawyer who could comment for him. His driver did not immediately respond to an e-mail request on Monday night.