Daily Inspiration: Meet Nam Ho also known as OMS

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nam Ho. He is an up and coming DJ breaking through the LA music scene.

Nam, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In 2016, I was at a crossroads between my ongoing career in fashion and potentially pursuing my love for music. For some odd reason, I thought that I could only pursue one path. My sister, who was only 16 at the time, asked me a question that would change my life forever: “Why can’t you do both?” This began my journey of pursuing DJing alongside my existing clothing brand, Oh Man! Clothing. That year, I started learning how to DJ, and then decided to move from Orange County to Los Angeles in 2018 to pursue fashion and music. At the time, I was DJing house parties for my friends, but due to the pandemic, my plans to perform in public venues were temporarily put on hold. In addition to that, due to a string of circumstances such as my hard drive crashing with all my music and wanting to upgrade my equipment, I took a year off from DJing. At the beginning of 2023, I was serendipitously at my friend’s house watching Fred Again’s Boiler Room set, and a huge wave of inspiration hit me. I started to get the itch to DJ again so I decided to gift myself a new controller for Christmas. Finally, in January of 2024, I booked my first public gig at Station 1640 in Hollywood under the alias OMS (also known as Oh Man! Sound) and have continued DJing since.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think as creatives, we work so hard to escape “the box” that society puts us in. We want to be able to freely express ourselves without being confined by a corporate workplace or other societal norms. The paradox here (for me at least), is that we end up creating our own “box” by believing that we can only pursue one creative medium at a time. When my sister suggested that I did not need to stop my fashion career in order to start my music career, my mind was absolutely blown. Prior to that moment, this was an internal dilemma that I struggled with deeply. I love both fashion and music very much, and I think it is imperative for us as creatives to express ourselves through multiple artistic mediums in order to not feel confined.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My longest term specialty is in clothing design. In 2009, I started my brand Oh Man! Clothing, which is a spiritual streetwear brand dedicated to awakening one another through spiritual development and mental health. I am proud that my team Justin Paz, Essa Tokhi, and I have been working on this for the past 15 years. I believe one of the things that sets us apart from others is that we focus on high quality garments with intentional designs that are meant to last a lifetime in your wardrobe, while also helping people to become the best version of themselves mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Aside from clothing, DJing and music have been a huge passion and creative outlet for me. Under the alias of OMS, I absolutely love playing music and performing for people. My goal is always to create a high energy vibe yet peaceful ambiance, mainly through electronic music, and for everyone to have a good time. I also love playing hip hop and R&B sets whenever I get the chance.

Oh Man! is a lifestyle consisting of clothing, music, spirituality, and more. I am most proud that we have been able to achieve that through persistence, hard work, and expressing ourselves.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking through social media by continually creating content, putting ourselves out there, and not being afraid to reach out to people has never been easier than now. Stepping out of my comfort zone and going to events to show support and network has also been very helpful. But most importantly, I think one of my biggest “mentors” has been resting. It is so easy to get caught up in the constant hustle, which can eventually lead to burn out. Taking time to rest, put aside my projects, and not feel guilty about doing so has done wonders for my mental health and the longevity of my career. I have learned the most about myself, my businesses, and my creative ideas when I took the time to slow down.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ohmanclothing.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohmansound
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohmanclothing
• Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/ohmansound
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/ohmanclothing

Image Credits
Adeline Ho