Verbal was born in Tokyo with Korean background 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 City 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.