Daniel Ramos (graffiti artist)

Daniel Ramos (born august 27 1972) who went by the moniker "Chaka" was one of the most prolific graffiti vandals of the late 20th century. Chaka was so popular that his tag was used to decorate the bass drum of Dave Grohl, when his band Nirvana did the video for the song, "Smells Like Teen Spirit." The bass drum is the location where a band's name usually appears.

Authorities in Los Angeles County, California and surrounding areas throughout the West Coast ascribed to Chaka between ten and fifty thousand unique incidents of him "tagging" the word "CHAKA" on various vertical surfaces of private and state property, using equipment ranging from permanent markers to spray paint and incurring up to half a million dollars in monetary damage. Chaka was eventually caught, tried, and convicted in 1991 on these charges. Urban legend holds that Ramos tagged the interior of a civic-center elevator as he left a courtroom, only to be arrested and charged yet again.

Upon his release from jail two years later, Chaka was offered to go to California State University, Northridge.