VERBAL with Pharrell on the streets of Tokyo.

We caught up with VERBAL, Tokyo's musical madman and design impresario, to talk about his latest solo release and how he balances his many endeavors.

As a solo artist and as a member of Teriyaki Boyz and m-flo, VERBAL is one of Japan's most popular rappers. He recently completed the ANGREE YUNG ROBOTZ TOUR in support of his solo LP Visionair. As seen in Tokyo Rising, VERBAL and Yoon, his wife, run Ambush Design.

How has it been to be back in the music game after being so deeply involved with your art and design for so long?

Actually, I have been producing music and doing features for other artists all along, so I haven't really been "away". But I must say, my experience with the fashion scene and the design process has spawned new ideas for my own material (m-flo), and has shed light on new opportunities and business models for the music industry.

Do you feel like you were able to try new things and experiment more as a solo artist rather than as a member of a group?

Yeah…but honestly, I prefer working in groups! I am usually certain about the direction of a song when advising and working with other artists/musicians, but when I was on my own, I was really indecisive...I need another "me" to direct my project!

What is next for you musically?

ANGREE YUNG ROBOTZ TOUR been a tremendous experience, and as we come close to the end of the tour, I will be shifting gears to start working on a new m-flo album. This will be our first new album since 2007, and so we are excited to see how this will turn out.

How do you find time to balance all of your different projects? Is it ever a tough decision on prioritizing what comes first?

I guess I'm not that bad at multi-tasking, but I get caught up in all the "urgent" things that need to done, and it sometimes drives me crazy!!! But I set time to focus on my priorities first, then jump into all the projects.

Check out Pharrell and VERBAL exploring Nakano Broadway in this Tokyo Rising Bonus Clip.