A Motive Beyond Measure: The Relentless Rise of OS:MAN

W: Theo Thompson

At first glance, Jake Osman (OS:MAN) appears to be one of many names orbiting London’s Jungle and Hardcore underground scene. But beneath the flurry of bookings, releases, and packed out venues lies something much deeper: a relentless force of creativity, graft and unwavering self-belief. He isn’t just a DJ, a promoter, a label head or a designer - he is all of these at once and more. A ‘Jake of all trades,’ but crucially, a master in each.

It’s not just that OS:MAN built something. It’s that he built everything. Motive Hunter Audio; his platform, label, event series and visual brand is more than a name. It’s a testament to what happens when hard work meets vision, and when the focus stays on building something real.

OS:MAN’s entry into the industry wasn’t through the decks or a stack of early 2000s dubplates, it was in fact through work. “My first in on Drum & Bass was working in Drum & Bass,” he tells me with a matter-of-fact clarity. “I didn’t know too much about the music, but I got into it really quickly since I was surrounded by it so much.”

While studying at Central Saint Martins, he was like any student trying to work his way up the fashion ladder; on retainer for The British Fashion Council’s Photography team and studio interning at ‘A-Cold-Wall’. But towards the end of his year out, a chance to intern at Concrete PR, a Drum & Bass-focused agency, came up, and his time there shifted everything. That was it. No looking back

Jake began shooting DNB nights from Soul In Motion and V Recordings to Fabio & Grooverider’s Return To Rage and Brixton Bass, capturing raw, intense snapshots of the underground. Those images became the foundation of his final major project at university, and essentially the visual launchpad for what would become Motive Hunter - the entity that pushed his relevance.

What started as visual documentation soon became a full creative infrastructure. Then came lockdown and with it, time to dig deeper. The first initial DJ mix series brought sound to a once only visual entity. At the same time OS:MAN began to learn to mix himself, armed with a pair of decks and an unrelenting sense of discipline.

“I think learning to DJ was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made”, he laughs.

Soon after, he launched his first party, a humble yet two-roomed, post-COVID ten-hour seated event at The Cause, which promptly sold out… “The first Motive was special. We still speak of it now, 25 artists playing, and for half of them it was their debut set… Mad”. Following a few more seated parties, The Cause offered him a monthly slot, prompting the birth of the co-founded night in collaboration with Modern Funktion: Worlds Collide. From there on, the journey began. Late nights, smoky warehouses, grimey basements… Just relentless graft, trust in the music and total creative control.

Jake’s ethos is anti-shortcut. From designing his event posters, label artwork and merchandise to orchestrating A&R releases, curating parties and running the socials. “I feel like I’m hitting a point where I could probably do with hands to help with MH, just to take some of the workload off me… On the other hand, I think that’s what makes MH what it is for me, at least; it just feels like an extension of myself.”

Yet OS:MAN’s story isn’t all upward. He speaks candidly of near-burnouts, of moments where doubt gnawed at the edges of everything. “I’ve nearly quit about four times,” he says. “I thought, maybe there isn’t a place in this scene for me.” Such reflections reveal the fragility that often underpins creative persistence; progress in this industry is rarely linear, and moments of rupture can just as easily dismantle a trajectory as they can fortify it.

“I remember having two huge events I had spent months planning cancel due to reasons out of my control within the space of a week. It really felt at the time like it was a sign from above to stop. I took a few weeks to myself, came back and reminded myself that I just gotta get back on it and go even harder”.

In those early years, with Jake rooted in Drum and Bass, it was natural that Motive’s identity echoed that sound. Yet as his sonic vision grew sharper, so too did the label's focus. What began with the weight and drive of DNB gradually found its centre in Jungle; today, for those familiar with the scene, Motive Hunter is a name synonymous with it.

But one night certainly contributed to a shift. A Boiler Room takeover at the old Cause, with Tim Reaper, Dwarde and GQ on the mic. “It was an hour and a half of straight mayhem… I didn’t go for a cigarette once, just glued to the front right with my mate Kurtis. I don’t think even a fire alarm could’ve dragged me away from that set.” I get goosebumps just hearing him recall it; that epiphanic moment, the kind of memory only music can deliver. “That set was somewhat of a sonic turning point for me, I reckon.” Since then, OS:MAN’s sound has crystallised: break-driven, sample-heavy, genre-fluid but always locked in on dancefloor impact. “Everything can work with Jungle, it’s got that flexibility. As long as it’s a similar(ish) BPM and sounds wicked, I’m playing it. Curveball is king!”

OS:MAN doesn’t see Motive Hunter as a vehicle for personal gain. Instead, it is a platform for others, a launchpad. “Not to sound like a broken record, as I’ve said this a billion times - Motive is a stepping stone. Not the final stop.” He is meticulous with what he puts out. No endless drops. No algorithm-chasing… That approach has earned respect. Releases with Nectax, DJ Hybrid, Fez The Kid, to name a few, as well as the previously mentioned Tim Reaper & Dwarde…

He works closely with emerging artists in a deeply hands-on capacity, often advising on projects from inception to execution; the development of DJ BLAKE’s ‘Brainstorm’ EP, in particular, offers a compelling case study in this collaborative process. “I met the two Ethan’s (Blake & Agility) straight after I played B2B with Napes at one of my Worlds Collide nights at The Cause. We were outside getting some air, and they both came up to us and said to me that they loved Motive Hunter and had sent me tracks for the set. Long story short Blake & I were in a back-and-forth discussion about a 6-tracker release, Blake wanted to call the EP “Brainstorm” so I did a bit of research and found this wicked 1979 sci-fi film with the same title. From the film, I sampled some audio quotes and sounds and told him to embed them in the tracks. It worked really well, somewhat tying all the tracks together. As well as that, I used the graphics from the trailer to do the social media promo reels. Job done, big up Blake.

There is no final act here, no closing chapter.

“It’s not even at the point where it’s finalised in how I want it to be presented to the world, but it’s on a good path. I’m proud of how it’s grown organically alongside me, as a person and as someone operating in dance music. 2025’s ‘4 Years of Motive Hunter’ celebration at Fabric is something I’ll never forget. It was incredibly affirming, and it’s only motivated me to keep going and aim even bigger.”

Milestones like that don’t mark an endpoint; they reset the horizon. Each achievement expands the story rather than closing it. The journey isn’t linear, but a constant process of growth, ambition and reinvention.

OS:MAN’s vision is clear: elevate artists, connect scenes, preserve integrity.“If someone puts out something with me, I’ll happily help them connect with bigger, more established labels after as well as helping them sort out their graphic identity and socials - that's literally the point of it all for me. ”

While many build online, OS:MAN built on the ground. His rise was shaped in venues, not feeds. “I was constantly in clubs. I love the dance, but being there was intentional.” He invested the time, learning the sound, building real relationships and embedding himself in London’s undercurrent. “I’d go to what mattered. I knew who I wanted to connect with and moved with purpose.” The Motive name now carries weight, but it’s still rooted in the underground that shaped it.

“Motive Hunter Audio would be a blank canvas without the community and the artists that have played for or have created music for it. We may be pushing for wider recognition now, but at its core, it’s a product of its environment and members. For London, By London”.

Now dedicating as much time as possible to the label, programming and curating events far and wide, OS:MAN remains deeply embedded in the music scene - fully committed to continued evolution while balancing legacy with future-facing ideas. “I care deeply about the genre (Jungle) and its heritage. I also feel it’s part of my purpose to help push a new sonic legacy, ideas that respect the genre’s ethos while still feeling fresh and innovative. That’s what my thought process is with re-launching our release series ‘Hard & Fast, Bass & Breaks’ for 2026… By creating a public track submission form, which allows anyone to submit music for release consideration. It’s a move I haven't seen from a Jungle label before, very community-led!” For 2026, we can expect monthly releases from Motive Hunter’s HFBB series - a generous four tracks a month. Alongside the normal MHA catalogue series, + more to be announced.

Constantly continuing to evolve, balancing legacy with future-facing ideas. “It’s wicked. What started as a simple idea has grown into something far beyond anything I imagined. There were moments I didn’t fully grasp how much it would develop.”

Jake Osman has built something singular through talent, yes, but more so through sweat, determination and sincerity. In a scene increasingly seduced by spectacle, Motive Hunter stands as proof that DIY isn’t dead, it just grew up. And I have a very strong feeling that the best is yet to come.

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