Berner

Berner is an American rapper and cannabis entrepreneur who co-founded Cookies, the world's most recognized cannabis brand. Born Gilbert Anthony Milam Jr. in San Francisco, he built a career that bridges hip-hop and the legal weed industry. As a recording artist, he has released 47 albums independently, with four projects hitting the Billboard 200. His 2022 album From Seed to Sale peaked at number 20. Berner's real influence, though, comes from Cookies, which AdAge named one of America's Hottest Brands in 2021, the first cannabis company to earn that distinction. Today, Cookies operates over 55 retail locations across five countries and offers more than 2,000 products. Fans know Berner as a self-made hustler who turned street credibility into a legitimate global empire, all while staying true to his roots in San Francisco's cannabis culture. [edit]

Growing up in San Francisco, Berner lived in a cramped studio apartment with four other people. His father, a first-generation Mexican immigrant, owned a taco restaurant, while his mother ran a headhunting business. Berner started working at age 13 and has said he never stopped. His first job was selling weed, which eventually led to a position as a budtender. Those early years taught him the ins and outs of the cannabis trade and planted the seeds for his future brand. He released his debut solo album Dirty Sneakers... Plenty Ways to Get It in 2007, followed by a collaborative project with Equipto called Track Money & Pack Money that same year. At that point, he was still grinding locally, far from the business mogul he would become. [edit]

Berner's breakthrough came in 2015 when he founded Cookies and released the EP 20 Lights, which landed on the Billboard 200. The brand quickly became synonymous with high-quality cannabis and streetwear. In 2016, his album Hempire also charted. Two years later, Wiz Khalifa signed him to Taylor Gang Entertainment, giving his music career a wider platform. Berner kept dropping albums: Gotti in 2021 and From Seed to Sale in 2022, the latter becoming his highest-charting project at number 20. Meanwhile, Cookies exploded. By 2021, the brand had grown to over 55 stores globally and was named an AdAge Hottest Brand. Berner also launched other ventures: Vibes Papers, Cookies SF clothing with seven brick-and-mortar locations, Lemonnade, and the Bern One Entertainment label. He continues to expand Cookies internationally as of 2026. [edit]

Berner's public persona is that of a hustler who made it legit. He presents himself as a family-first entrepreneur who never forgets where he came from. His Instagram feed mixes music promo, Cookies product drops, and lifestyle shots, all with a no-drama, work-ethic vibe. Fans appreciate his authenticity, he went from selling weed on the streets to running a half-billion-dollar empire, and he talks about that journey openly. His fandom overlaps heavily with cannabis culture and hip-hop fans who admire his business acumen. Berner's style is casual and streetwear-oriented, often featuring Cookies merchandise. He rarely courts controversy and focuses on building his brands. [edit]

Berner's fame is a different kind of stardom, one built not on chart-topping singles but on a global brand that turned cannabis culture into a billion-dollar empire. Yet, as of August 2026, iFANN's Global Fame Engine has evaluated Berner but he does not currently hold a placement in the published rankings, whether the Global Top 1,000 or any Top-100 scope list. That absence, however, says little about his cultural footprint; it reflects a metric that prioritizes certain signals over entrepreneurial influence.

His fanbase, though not formally named, is vast and deeply integrated into the lifestyle he sells. With over 2 million Instagram followers, Berner's audience spans cannabis enthusiasts, hip-hop heads, and aspiring entrepreneurs who see his journey from street sales to CEO as proof of hustle. They rally around his motto, “No time for negativity,” and engage with his music, his Cookies merchandise, and his Vibes Papers. But this isn't a fandom built on coordinated campaigns or inside jokes; it's a community that shows up organically, through streaming his 47 albums, buying his products, and filling the seats at his film premieres.

What Berner gives his fans is access: to his music, his brand, and his story. In 2026, he premiered Splash City, a film he co-wrote, co-directed, and executive produced, to a sold-out crowd in Fresno. It's a personal project, a Bay Area crime drama, and it deepens the connection. For a fanbase without a name, it's a powerful bond.[edit]

Berner's father, a first-generation Mexican immigrant, built a taco restaurant from scratch, a story of grit that shaped his own work ethic. His daughter launched Heartblaster Clothing at just 13, and Berner, who has been working since age 13, describes himself as never having stopped. He went from a cramped studio apartment to a house by the lake, and his Instagram bio reads: “No time for negativity. Founder & CEO of {Cookies}. Founder & CEO {Vibes Papers}. father 1st!”

Cookies made history as the first cannabis brand named one of America's Hottest Brands by AdAge. But Berner's legend extends beyond business. His rise from the mixtape underground, signing with Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang in 2012, is a story fans retell. And in 2026, he added a new chapter: Splash City, his feature film debut, premiered to a sold-out show in Fresno, a personal story that brought his Bay Area roots to the screen.[edit]

Berner's father, a first-generation Mexican immigrant, owned a taco restaurant. His mother ran a headhunting business. He grew up with four other people in a small studio apartment in San Francisco. Berner has three children. His daughter, who was 13 in 2020, runs her own clothing brand called Heartblaster Clothing. He has spoken proudly about how she absorbed business sense from watching him work, calling her "very hands on, very vocal." [edit]

Berner is closely associated with Wiz Khalifa, who signed him to Taylor Gang Entertainment in 2018. He also collaborated with fellow California rapper Equipto on his first project. His business ventures have connected him with figures in the cannabis industry and streetwear culture. [edit]

Details about Berner's romantic relationships are not publicly documented. He has three children, but the mother(s) have not been named in available sources. As of 2026, his relationship status is unknown. His Instagram bio emphasizes being a father first, suggesting family is his priority, but he keeps his private life out of the spotlight. [edit]

iFANN currently estimates Berner's net worth at $400 million. The bulk of that fortune comes from his role as Co-Founder and CEO of Cookies, the global cannabis brand Forbes called a “half-a-billion dollar empire” in 2020. Cookies operates over 55 retail locations across five countries, with more than 70 proprietary strains and 2,000 products. Berner also owns Cookies SF clothing, with seven brick-and-mortar stores worldwide. His music career, 47 independent albums, streaming, and touring, adds to the pile. Other ventures include Vibes Papers, Lemonnade, 1212 Ventures, and Bern One Entertainment. As cannabis legalization spreads and Cookies expands internationally, his wealth shows no sign of slowing.[edit]

Berner has not won major music industry awards like Grammys or BET Awards. However, his brand Cookies made history by being named one of America's Hottest Brands of 2021 by AdAge, the first cannabis company to receive that honor. [edit]