Benjamin Lerner, the Great-grandson of Irving Berlin (composer of such iconic tunes as “God Bless America” and “White Christmas”), is a Vermont-based Rapper, Composer, Writer, Recovery Advocate, and Viral Content Creator. 

Benjamin started his musical career as a classical piano prodigy. By his early twenties, he was an IV fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine addict. Now sober since June 13, 2016, he journals his journey in addiction and sobriety in his signature piano-raps, which combine classical piano and Hip Hop elements. Benjamin credits his continued success in recovery to his ability to express his emotions through word and song.

“When I first went to rehab,” Benjamin admits, “I was afraid I wasn’t going to be able to make music anymore, because I made music about doing drugs for so long, I didn’t know if I’d be able to do it without getting high. It took getting clean for me to realize that expression and creativity are the drugs I’ve been searching for all along. I’m still a junkie. I just get high off of music now.”

Benjamin has had the pleasure of performing for the National Academy of Medicine and The Aspen Institute. In 2019, he was the composer-in-residence at 1761 Arts, and he made his Carnegie Hall debut as part of the Indie Collaborative in 2022. His debut album, CLEAN, was released in February 2020 and produced at Old Mill Road Recording in East Arlington, Vermont.

Building on this foundation, Benjamin’s artistic journey has continued to evolve. He now oversees a dedicated online recovery community of over 300,000 social media followers. Over 150 million total video views on his recovery and recovery music content serve as a testament to the widespread support for his advocacy and music content. 

Benjamin’s most recent EPs, KEEP MOVING FORWARD (2024) and RUN TOWARDS THE TRUTH (2025), were crafted as a direct response to that outpouring of online support. The inspiration behind their names is rooted in the sign-off from Benjamin’s CLEAN Column, which ran in the Vermont News Guide from 2020 to 2025: 

 “Keep moving forward. 
Run towards the truth. 
Don’t quit before the miracle happens.”

The upcoming third EP in the trilogy, DON'T QUIT BEFORE THE MIRACLE HAPPENS— is currently slated for release later this year.

Benjamin also hosts the recovery rap radio show, CLEAN Jams, on the legendary Vermont alternative radio station, 102.7 WEQX. Working closely with his musical mentor and producer, Dr. Joshua Sherman, Benjamin’s evolving sound and message continue to shine as an embodiment of the transformative power of music and resilience.

Benjamin is currently working on his second full length album.