Kama Sutra's head, Art Kass, ultimately grew dissatisfied with his distribution deal with MGM and founded Buddah Records in 1967, with his Kama Sutra partners, Artie Ripp, Hy Mizrahi, Phil Steinberg, and (allegedly)[5] Italian mobster John "Sonny" Franzese.

[6] Buddah initially made its mark as a bubblegum pop music label, with Ohio Express, the 1910 Fruitgum Company and Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus.

[1] Previously signed to Motown Records' Soul imprint, Knight and the Pips released their biggest hits, including "Midnight Train to Georgia" and "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me", for Buddah.

Viewlex declared bankruptcy in 1976 and Art Kass purchased Buddah back from them, but the debt[7] resulted in a substantial decline in the number of new releases.

Kass formed another label, Casino Records, in partnership with former New York Dolls manager Marty Thau and concert promoter Terrell Braly, but this venture was not successful.

Buddah distributed many labels during its history, including the following: Other Buddah subsidiaries or associated labels included Radio Active Gold (for reissue singles), Team, Super K, Royal American, Symbolic, Eleuthera, Ember, Pace, Desert Moon, Pi Kappa, Southwind, April, Thomas, Harbour, Music Merchant, National General, and Brut.