Token (rapper)
Token | |
|---|---|
| Born | Benjamin David Goldberg September 24, 1998 Marblehead, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Rapper, vocalist, music producer |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Known for | Appearance on Sway’s Friday's Fire Cipher, studio albums Pink Is Better and I'm Not Supposed to Be Here |
Benjamin David Goldberg (born September 24, 1998), professionally recognized as Token, is an American rapper, vocalist, and music producer originating from Salem, Massachusetts.
Token rose to prominence following his appearance on Sway’s Friday's Fire Cipher and has built an extensive collection of content on YouTube. In 2020, he secured a distribution agreement with Atlantic Records and has since released two studio albums: Pink Is Better (2022) and I'm Not Supposed to Be Here (2025).
Early life
Born and raised in Marblehead, Massachusetts, Ben Goldberg was introduced to hip-hop by his sister at the age of six. Throughout his youth, he encountered difficulties such as intense bouts of anger and challenges with verbal expression. He was diagnosed with depression and anxiety and also battled childhood obesity, successfully shedding 50 pounds by the time he reached fifth grade through regular physical activity.
Motivated by aspirations of hip-hop stardom, Goldberg began crafting rap lyrics at age 10. His first live performance occurred at 13 when he freestyled in front of rapper Hopsin after one of Hopsin’s concerts in Cambridge. Impressed by his assured delivery, Hopsin offered performance guidance and later supported Token by providing touring opportunities. Early musical inspirations for Token include 2Pac, Ludacris, and Eminem.
2012–2014: Career beginnings
Under the moniker BDG, Goldberg started rapping and uploading tracks to YouTube after a friend's suggestion to cultivate an audience. His initial track was a freestyle over "Party in the USA" by Miley Cyrus. Despite early criticism from peers, he gradually grew an online following. During sixth grade, he collaborated with local rapper Colin Mitchell (C-Mitch) on the project Lethal Combination. Although reception was modest, producer Jon Glass identified their promise and took on a mentorship role.
Eventually, he chose the stage name Token to express his sense of uniqueness as a white Jewish youth from Salem. Beginning at age 14, Token started sharing music videos and released his first mixtape, The Mindstate, in February 2014.
2015–2016: "No Sucka MCs" and early success
In October 2015, Token unveiled a video for the "No Sucka MCs" hip-hop contest that amassed over half a million views within three days, drawing attention from celebrities such as Fred Durst, Mark Wahlberg, and T-Pain. Wahlberg became an advocate for Token, inviting him to Los Angeles and featuring him on his reality series Wahlburgers. Through Wahlberg’s connections, Token also landed a role in the film Patriots Day.
Token’s freestyle on Sway in the Morning aired in April 2016 went viral, significantly elevating his visibility. On September 23, 2016, he released his second mixtape titled Eraser Shavings, with the track "Exception" garnering millions of streams. That same year marked the beginning of Token’s international tours, starting with performances across Europe.
2017–2019: Singles and Between Somewhere
Between January 2017 and mid-2018, Token launched several standalone singles accompanied by videos on YouTube, including "Doozy", "Patty Cake", and "Code Red", each achieving millions of streams and views. In August 2018, he introduced "Flamingo", the lead single from his third mixtape Between Somewhere, which was officially released on December 7, 2018. This mixtape features guest appearances from IDK and Bas and includes a bonus collaboration with Tech N9ne titled "YouTube Rapper". The project received a rating of 3.3 out of 5 from HipHopDX. In 2019, Token signed with eOne Music.
2020–2024: Establishing Never Too Different and Releasing Pink Is Better
In 2020, Goldberg launched his own label, Never Too Different, and arranged a distribution partnership with Atlantic Records. The first single issued through this label was "30 People," which debuted in August 2020. By July 2021, he revealed plans to direct a music video for Lil Xan; however, as of 2023, the video has yet to be released.
Token's inaugural studio album, Pink Is Better, arrived on January 14, 2022. This release was preceded by four singles: two solo tracks titled "Chit Chat" and "Sip," alongside collaborations "High Heels" featuring Rico Nasty and "IOD" with Lil Skies.
Throughout 2022, Token continued to deliver singles such as "I Was In Hollywood," "A Prayer," "Ain't It Funny," "Toy Story," and "Sister." The following year, he released additional singles including "Rockabye Baby," "Mayflower," "Rookie" featuring Suave Lee, "That's Why They Look," "Goldy," and "Knot." His November 2023 EP Knot compiles these songs, showcasing a fusion of Boston hip-hop, rap, indie pop, and drift phonk influences.
In 2024, Token appeared on Young Posse's track "Young Posse Up," collaborating with Verbal Jint and NSW Yoon. That same year saw the release of singles like "Why Would U Wanna Breakup?," "Lasersight," "Melancholy Dreams," "Building 7," and the widely circulated freestyle titled "Hawk Tuah."
2025–present: Release of I'm Not Supposed to Be Here
Token's fourth studio album, I'm Not Supposed to Be Here, was unveiled on June 13, 2025. This album followed the launch of singles such as "Feral," "Duck Hunter," and "Jeep" featuring Terror Reid. The record delves into Token's personal experiences, exploring themes including feelings of isolation, unforeseen hardships, and navigating grief. Its intention is to resonate with audiences encountering similar circumstances. Featured collaborators consist of Ren, Marco Plus, Steven Rodriguez, Terror Reid, and Tech N9ne.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details |
|---|---|
| Eraser Shavings |
|
| Between Somewhere |
|
| Pink Is Better |
|
| I'm Not Supposed to Be Here |
|
Mixtapes
| Title | Mixtape details |
|---|---|
| The Mindstate |
|
As lead artist
| Song | Year | Album(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "Waist Down" | 2016 | Eraser Shavings |
| "Happiness" | ||
| "Mass Reform" | ||
| "Doozy" | 2017 | rowspan="8" Template:N/A |
| "New Problems" | ||
| "Dirty Flesh" | ||
| "Patty Cake" | ||
| "Little Boy" | ||
| "Still Believe in Heroes" | 2018 | |
| "Code Red" | ||
| "One Like Equals" | ||
| "Flamingo" | Between Somewhere | |
| "Mom Would Agree" | ||
| "Treehouse" | ||
| "Run It Back" | 2019 | rowspan="5" Template:N/A |
| "No Game" | ||
| "Curfew" | 2020 | |
| "30 People" | ||
| "Dentures" | 2021 | |
| "Chit Chat" | Pink Is Better | |
| "Sip" | ||
| "High Heels" (featuring Rico Nasty) | ||
| "IOD" (featuring Lil Skies and YKD Jah) | ||
| "Boom" (featuring J.I.D) |
2022 | |
| "I Was in Hollywood" | rowspan="19" Template:N/A | |
| "A Prayer" | ||
| "Ain't It Funny" | ||
| "Toy Story" | ||
| "Sister" | ||
| "Rockabye Baby" | 2023 | |
| "Mayflower" | ||
| "Rookie" | ||
| "That's Why They Look" | ||
| "Goldy" | ||
| "Knot" | ||
| "Why Would U Wanna Breakup?" | 2024 | |
| "Lasersight" (with Sadfriendd and Ariis) | ||
| "Melancholy Dreams" (with YNG Martyr) | ||
| "Building 7" | ||
| "Hawk Tuah Freestyle" | ||
| "Loser" | ||
| "So, Trump..." | ||
| "Liar" | ||
| "Feral" | 2025 | I'm Not Supposed to Be Here |
| "Duck Hunter" | ||
| "Jeep" (featuring Terror Reid) | ||
| "What Does Your Love Look Like?" (featuring Ren) |
As a Featured Performer
| Track | Release Year | Album(s) |
|---|---|---|
| "Young Posse Up" (Young Posse with guest appearances by Verbal Jint, NSW Yoon, and Token) |
2024 | Standalone single |