He received two Citra Awards for Intan Berduri in 1973 and Si Doel Anak Modern in 1977.

[4] He initially wanted to become a pilot, but his mother forbade him; he eventually got employment as a bread seller, and then as a bus conductor.

[5] In the 1950s, Benyamin joined the Melody Boys, who played calypso music, rhumba, cha-cha, jazz, blues, rock n roll, and some keroncong.

The band performed some famous songs including "When I Fall in Love", "Blue Moon" and "Unchained Melody".

They also performed their songs, like "Kisah Cinta" ("Love Story"), "Panon Hideung" ("Black Eye"), and "Si Neneng".

In the late 1960s, several songs that were composed by him were sung by Bing Slamet, including "Nonton Bioskop" ("Watching a Movie at the Theatre"), "Hujan Gerimis" ("Drizzle"), "Endeng-Endengan" and "Ada-Ada Saja" ("It is What it is").

From the late 1960s until the early 1970s, he was influenced by John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers' blues and James Brown's soul.

[9] Benyamin used music as a medium of reflection and contemplation, to critique the current socio-political situation.

[12] As a producer, he formed the movie company Jiung Film, which created Musuh Bebuyutan (Arch-Nemesis; 1974), Benyamin Koboi Ngungsi (Benjamin the Refugee Cowboy; 1975) and Hippies Lokal (Local Hippies; 1976).

[18] In 1995, he received a special award from the committee of Festival Sinetron Indonesia for his contribution to the development of Indonesian soap operas.

[11] Benyamin was celebrated in a Google Doodle on 22 September 2020, on the occasion of the commemoration of a park with his name in East Jakarta.