Verbal (rapper) - Biography

Biography

Verbal was born in Tokyo in 1975. In 1985, his parents moved to Boston in the United States for work. When at a YMCA summer camp, Verbal was first exposed to hip-hop music, in the form of Run–D.M.C.'s "It's Tricky" when the other children sung the song on the bus for the camp. He was impressed and influenced by the hip-hop culture of New York, and at 14 years old he started writing lyrics in English. His parents moved back to Tokyo, and Verbal attended St. Mary's International School. He met Taku Takahashi there, and the pair formed a rap rock band called N.M.D. in 1992. The band received many offers from major record labels after their live performances, however as Verbal did not see being a rapper as a practical career, he turned down these offers.

Verbal returned to the United States, to study philosophy and marketing at Boston College. In his first year of university, he abandoned these plans after a great romantic disappointment, converting to protestantism and deciding to study for a masters in divinity at Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary to become a pastor.

Verbal has said that his influences began with gangster rap groups like NWA. After he mistakenly purchased a Gang Starr album, he became interested in East coast hip hop including De La Soul and Pete Rock & CL Smooth.