Buddah Bless Nabs Rising Rapper Juanito AZ for “Mad Emoji”
A-List producer Buddah Bless is an in-demand name for many of rap music’s biggest stars, but the Atlanta-via-NYC sound architect is equally passionate about providing a platform for rising artists. Following recent songs with BossMan Dlow, Big Sean, Kodak Black & 2 Chainz, the 14x-Platinum producer unites with Texas riser Juanito AZ for “Mad Emoji,” Buddah’s third single as the lead artist.
Adorning the song with tolling bells, swirling strings, and insistent 808s, Buddah provides a regal launching pad for high-flying flexes on “Mad Emoji.” Carefully considering each bar, Juanito rhymes in a deliberate rasp, moving slowly, but with purpose as he perfects his plug talk: “Money comin’ fast, but I’m movin’ slow/Cars lined up like a dealership row/Chain like a trophy, every one got its own story/Turned this pain to a hustle, shine mandatory.” In the video, directed by Killerjack, Buddah and AZ cook up in the kitchen, conducting business and recruiting beautiful women to assist with their operation.
“Mad Emoji” is the latest single to emerge from Buddah Bless’s upcoming debut album, coming soon. The song follows high-wattage collabs including “Owe Me” ft. Kodak Black (2.2 million YouTube views) and the luxurious posse cut “See The World,” featuring standout verses from BossMan Dlow, Big Sean, and 2 Chainz
Familiar to Buddah from the producer’s involvement in the Texas rap scene, Dallas rapper Juanito AZ is making moves in the South. He collaborated with Texas rappers like OTB Fastlane and the late great BeatKing, but his talent has attracted out-of-towners. In 2023, Juanito dropped the buzzing single “Don’t Be Mad” ft. Veeze, generating over 375k Youtube views.
“I’ve known Juan for a few years now, just on some friendship and hang out type of stuff,” says Buddah Bless. “He’s been hanging out with Kodak and I a lot and was actually a big reason why I started working with Kodak as close as I am now. We were in the studio with Kodak in Miami together and we spoke about us needing to do something for his project. So, I booked out the studio for us the next day and we went in there and made a few songs. This was one of them.”
Born in the New York City area but raised in Atlanta, Buddah Bless strives to merge the sensibility of his two home hip-hop regions through his music. He began his musical career in church, playing piano and organ, and learned how to make beats from his uncle during one fateful Thanksgiving. As a young man, breaking into the industry at 18-years-old, Buddah emerged into the flourishing Atlanta scene as one of its most in-demand beatmakers, his songs recognizable by his famous producer tag: “Buddah Bless this beat.” The producer collaborated with the likes of Migos, 2 Chainz, and Young Thug on their early hits, and later produced ATL classics like Migos’ “Call Casting” and 2 Chainz’s “Big Amount” ft. Drake. In recent years, Buddah produced hits like Jackboys’ “OUT WEST” ft. Young Thug (over 1 billion worldwide streams), and has developed a productive artistic relationship with Megan Thee Stallion on songs like “Don’t Stop,” “Miami Blue,” and “Shots Fired.” The 33-year-old producer has earned 14 Platinum certifications and 3 Gold certifications from the RIAA, and has also collaborated with the likes of Gunna, Chris Brown, Summer Walker, Key Glock, and dozens of other rap and R&B superstars.
