'Watch Me' US rapper Silento charged with murdering his cousin

US rapper Silento has been charged with the murder of his cousin.

The 23-year-old was arrested on Monday after police discovered his cousin had been shot dead.

DeKalb County Police Department, in Georgia, confirmed that on 21 January they responded to calls of a shooting after 34-year-old Frederick Rooks was found on a street. 

A police investigation later identified the rapper as the suspect. 

Real name Ricky Hawk, he is currently being held in DeKalb County Jail charged with the murder.

Not long before his arrest, he had been posting on Instagram, offering his followers selfies, videos and shout outs in exchange for money on the CashApp.

A post asking whether people agree that his songs changed the music industry was also shared. 

He referred to himself as ‘The G.O.A.T’ (The Greatest Of All Time) and asked his followers to comment if he made their life change to happiness.

He is best known for his hit single ‘Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)’. 

He was signed to Capitol Records in 2015 when his single topped the charts. It made it to number 3 in the US and number 19 in the UK.

The song became popular for its ‘Whip’ and ‘Nae Nae’ dance moves which saw the music video go viral. It has been seen more than 1.7 billion times.