Atiim Chenzira is a musician, songwriter, spoken word poet, community activist, and family therapist originally from Oakland, California and now based in Portland, Maine. Born in California and shaped by a blend of African, Filipino, Native American, and European heritage, his voice carries both rhythm and reflection — bridging struggle and spirituality, and examining how inherited stories shape self-understanding, healing, and belonging.
He began writing songs at age 12 and performing at 14, developing a creative voice rooted in the rich musical traditions of the East Bay and grounded in hip hop, soul, jazz poetry, and socially conscious storytelling. Over the years, Atiim has built a dynamic career as a recording artist, live performer, lyricist, and collaborator. His background includes work with groups such as Gangstas By Heart, Live Lyricist Society, Fourth Kind, 5N’Dime, Bekka’s Frogland Orchestra, Shotwell 25, BOMANI Musik, Divasonic, and Con Brio.
Since 2001, he has owned and operated Ridah Ridah Recordz & Publishing as an umbrella for his creative endeavors — encompassing a record label, multi-media productions, audio and lighting design, and voice-overs. While living in Oakland, he produced grassroots community events under the name A Thousand WordZ, bringing people together to raise money and awareness for local and global causes. His work spans hip-hop, spoken word, and multimedia performance, most recently representing Maine at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ Arts Across America initiative in 2020.
Since relocating to Portland, Maine in 2018, Atiim has continued expanding his artistic practice through music, literary work, and community-based collaboration. From 2020 through 2023, he worked with Indigo Arts Alliance to create immersive sound environments for read-aloud books featured in the annual Beautiful Blackbird Children’s Book Festival — reflecting his ongoing commitment to storytelling, Black cultural expression, and multidisciplinary art-making.
He now lives and works in Maine, where he continues to write poetry and spoken word pieces that honor ancestry, community, and the quiet work of becoming whole. He is currently writing new songs, preparing spoken word recordings, and returning to live performance.
I Am From — A lyrical journey through ancestry, memory, and identity. An odyssey of bloodlines, migrations, and the quiet resilience that shapes belonging. Threading personal history with collective memory, this collection invites readers to trace their own roots, to listen, and to remember what it means simply to live and to be. Poetry collection — coming 2027.
What A Hug Can Do — Children’s literature in progress. Planned for publication 2027.
Mamma in the Screen — Children’s literature inspired by the pandemic era. Projected for 2027/2028.
Roots & Rhythms — A forthcoming collection exploring ancestry, faith, and identity.
Conversations with the Sky — Essays on mindfulness, culture, and community healing.
The Clinical Poet — Insights and reflections blending mental health and art.
Ridah Ridah Entertainment — Portland, Maine