In the winter of 1998, Verbal Kent set out to find a group of musicians who were interested in being involved in a live hiphop band. What resulted was The Organic Mind Unit (OMU), a five-piece live hip-hop band, comprised of two MCs as well as a rhythm section including bass, keyboards, and drums. The MCs, Dan Weiss (Verbal Kent) and Mike Palmer (Willis Drummond II) write lyrics with equal concern for content, rhythmic structure, and phrasing, using each of these elements to create a strength of character which is consistent in all of their verses. The musicians, Shaye Robeson (bass), William Kirk (keys), and Anthony Reid (drums) combine the sensibilities of a jazz combo with an extensive knowledge of varying musical styles, and the essential sounds at the core of contemporary hip-hop.
By late 1999, the group released their self-titled debut Organic Mind Unit. By late 2001, the MCs of the group released their second project, The Unusual Suspects, featuring Verbal Kent, Willis Drummond II (Lance Ambu), and former OMU member Racecar over production from Panik of the Molemen and Foul Intalekt, with cuts by DJ Precyse.
Since then, Verbal Kent has been busy both on his solo work and Organic Mind Unit, and appearing on such releases as "The Chicago Project", Rusty Chains "Battle Scars to Prove It" and DJ Anomaly's "Mountains Rise albums".
Over the past four years, Verbal has also playing at such venues as The Metro, Subterranean, Double Door, Hot House, The Note, Nevin‚s Live, The Morseland, The Cubby Bear, Joe's on Weed Street, The Chase Café, and Rapture, opening for acts such as KRS-One, The Pharcyde, GZA of the Wu-Tang Clan, J-Live, and more.
In 2003, Verbal Kent released is debut solo "Alien Rock" 12" on Gravel featuring production by The Opus (Mush Records), with b-side "Combat" featuring One Man Army (Binary Star) and production by Kaz1. His debut album "What Box", released in 2004 on Gravel Records, features over 16 tracks with guests appearances from Wordsworth (Lyricist Lounge), Iomos Marad, Qwazaar, One Man Army, Rusty Chains, Lance Ambu, Alltruisms, and production from Kaz1, Copperpot, The Opus, K-Kruz, and Overflo.