Meet Artis Mckinley of Beachfront venice beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Artis Mckinley.

Hi Artis, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m Artis McKinley, known professionally as TruArtis, and my journey started in Venice, California. Performing music and comedy every day on the Venice Boardwalk, I was surrounded by the energy, creativity, and diversity of the community. It was there, performing for locals and visitors alike, that I honed my craft and developed my voice. My performances caught the attention of comedian Ahmed Ahmed, and together we co-founded the Venice Comedy Compound, where I had the opportunity to open for legends like Bill Burr, Tiffany Haddish, Jay Mohr, and Jamie Kennedy. Later, after the Comedy Compound, I worked with writer Paul Friedman from CBS.

From there, my work expanded into music on a global scale — I’ve performed twice at Coachella with Travis Scott and Drewski, collaborated with major sports organizations like the LA Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Edmonton Oilers, as well as international soccer clubs including AC Milan and Manchester United, and worked closely with NIKE Global and NIKE LA. Currently, I’m on a team producing the upcoming film Kings of Venice (premiering November 15), which will also feature the debut of my music video We Did It in Venice.

Through it all, I’ve stayed committed to creativity, vision, and elevating my craft, building a career that bridges music, comedy, sports, and film while staying rooted in my Venice beginnings.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not — every step of this journey has been a struggle. Growing up in a church with eight brothers and one sister, I was the middle child, and my father wanted me to follow a traditional religious path. Like many parents, he feared the road I wanted to take, worried I’d fail or get lost. But my passion for music and performance couldn’t be ignored.

I’ve faced real hardships — at one point, I suffered a head injury that caused amnesia, and I had to fight my way back to a sense of normalcy. I was homeless for a time, living in a white van and doing whatever it took to keep chasing my dreams. Performing on the Venice Boardwalk every day wasn’t just about exposure or practice — the money I earned was how I ate. Every step of my journey, from surviving those streets to performing on global stages, required perseverance, resilience, and an unwavering belief in my gifts.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I create across music, comedy, sports, and film, blending performance, production, and storytelling to craft work that’s authentic and boundary-breaking. I’m known for performing twice at Coachella with Travis Scott and Drewski, collaborating with teams like the LA Kings, Cleveland Cavaliers, and AC Milan, and working with NIKE Global/LA.

I’m most proud of taking my journey from roasting random people on the Venice Boardwalk to producing global-scale projects, including the upcoming film Kings of Venice, which will feature my music video We Did It in Venice, with the ultimate goal of selling out Madison Square Garden one day. What sets me apart is my stage presence and ability to create at a high frequency, generating energy and momentum that engage audiences instantly and elevate every project I’m part of.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I see risk as a necessary part of growth. Performing on the Venice Boardwalk is like being on one of the toughest stages in the world — people from all over pass by every day, and it’s truly “eat or be eaten.” With thousands of faces moving through constantly, there’s no safety net. If you can survive that as a performer, you can make your dreams come true.

Choosing to follow my dreams instead of a traditional path — even living in a white van while chasing success — was a major risk. After suffering a head injury that caused amnesia, I had to fight my way back and rebuild from the ground up. That experience taught me that calculated courage and trusting your vision mean everything. Without taking those risks, none of my projects — from Coachella to producing We Did It in Venice — would have been possible.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://TruArtis-ent.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tru.artis/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TruArtis6
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@truartis2729/
• Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/artis-mckinley?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Other: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/truartis/1514580744