In the graffiti world we all heard of ” Chaka LOD” the infamous tagger who killed LA and beyond. His tags and throw-ups where seen all over in the late 80’s early 90’s. Even everyday people have come across hearing his name. He made news back in the days with being sought after for fucking shit up. Almost twenty years later he is having his first gallery art show displaying his work.Mid-City Arts
His moniker is classic in graffiti and he remains a legend withSuspect in `Chaka' graffiti charged
Daily Breeze (Torrance, CA) -
Thursday, December 13, 1990
Author:
Marc Igler
A man believed to be the
king of Southern California graffiti was
charged Wednesday with 20 criminal
counts of vandalism for allegedly
tarnishing thousands of buildings and walls --
including many in the South
Bay. Authorities say they believe Daniel Ramos, 18,
is responsible for
spray-painting the name "Chaka" on up to 10,000 locations
throughout
California, causing at least $500,000 in damage. "The extent of the
property
damage makes this the worst case of graffiti vandalism we have seen in
Los
Angeles or heard of anywhere else in the nation," said Los Angeles City
Attorney James Hahn. In the South Bay, investigators said Ramos' distinctive
graffiti stained several walls along the beach as well as overpasses and
ramps
of the San Diego and Century freeways. Wednesday's charges bring to 48
the
number of misdemeanor counts filed against Ramos since he was arrested
Nov. 28
in Lincoln Heights while drawing his name on a traffic pole. The
Boyle Heights
resident, who lives in a local housing project, allegedly
proclaimed, "I am the
famous Chaka!" when he was arrested, police said.
Ramos has pleaded innocent to
the 28 initial charges and is being held on
$10,000 GRAFFITI/A6GraffitiFROM PAGE
A1bail. Each count is punishable by up
to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Arraignment on the new charges is
set for Dec. 20. Hahn said prosecutors want
Ramos to be sentenced to jail,
then receive a substantial community service term
that would focus on
cleaning up graffiti. Deputy City Attorney Peter Shutan, who
is handling the
case, said Ramos is not a gang member but was part of a group of
teen-agers
known as a "crew." "They're basically a bunch of taggers who go
around
putting their names on everything they can find," said Shutan, who
specializes in gang -related cases. "That's what a crew lives for. It's
their
raison d'etre." "There's no question Ramos was the most prolific
graffiti artist
in that crew and is the most prolific we've ever seen. Most
of the sitings of
his handiwork are in central Los Angeles, but there have
been many from the
South Bay area." Ramos apparently selected the word
"Chaka" as his graffiti
nickname from a character on the television show
"Land of the Lost." "It's a
children's show. I guess he just liked the
character," Shutan said. "Chaka"
graffiti ranged from simple scrawlings on
utility poles to elaborate,
multicolored murals that took hours to complete
on the sides of buildings and
freeway retaining walls. One of Ramos'
favorite victims was Southern Pacific
railway cars because they carried his
moniker hundred of miles to distant
cities, Shutan said. Southern Pacific
officials estimate the alleged vandal
caused about $30,000 worth of property
damage. In addition, authorities in
Fresno are investigating "Chaka"
graffiti that caused $6,000 damage to a water
tower. The same name and
distinctive bubble letters also appear on fixed
locations as far south as
Orange County and as far north as San Francisco.
Section: NEWSPage: A1Index
Terms: NEWS; GRAFFITI. VANDALISM.Record Number:
0000318415Copyright (c)
1990, Daily Breeze, All Rights Reserved
graffiti artist in Los Angeles. He now turns a new leaf with his art
displayed in his first show.
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