Ozzy Osbourne, Godfather Of Heavy Metal And Former Black Sabbath Lead, Dead At 76

Ozzy Osbourne, the “Godfather of Heavy Metal” and one of Rock’s most legendary figures, has sadly died at the age of 76.

The former Black Sabbath lead singer and solo star reportedly passed away Tuesday morning (July 22), just weeks after an emotional farewell performance at Birmingham’s Villa Park. The concert featured Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, and a seated Ozzy who thanked the crowd from the “bottom of [his] heart” for their years of support.

In a statement confirming his passing, his family shared: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

Born John Michael Osbourne in 1948, in Birmingham, England, Ozzy went from humble beginnings to becoming one of the most recognizable forces in music.

Nicknamed the “Prince of Darkness,” he pioneered Heavy Metal with Black Sabbath, leaning all the way into his dark, theatrical persona. Beyond the music, Ozzy’s antics were also unpredictable, such as the time he infamously bit off the head of a bat onstage. When Black Sabbath parted ways with him in 1979, he launched a solo career that was just as impactful as his 1980 debut Blizzard of Ozz, which featured the hit song “Crazy Train.” He went on to release 13 more solo albums.

By the early 2000s, Ozzy’s fame reached new heights when MTV premiered his reality show The Osbournes, which showed his everyday life with his longtime wife Sharon, and his kids Kelly and Jack. The successful show went on to win a Primetime Emmy and introduced Ozzy to a whole new generation of fans who were probably too young to even know what a Black Sabbath record was.

Over his career, Ozzy scored five Grammys and two Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductions — one with Black Sabbath in 2006 and again as a solo artist in 2024. Even through his health battles, including a Parkinson’s diagnosis and a near-fatal fall in 2019, he kept pushing and performing.

Ozzy didn’t limit his music to just Rock, either. He has also worked with Hip-Hop royalty Wu-Tang Clan, Post Malone, Travis $cott, Trick Daddy, and others, proving that his artistry had no boundaries.

Just last February, Ozzy took to X to blast Kanye West for sampling Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” without permission. According to Ozzy, Ye was denied clearance to sample the 1983 live US performance, and he made it clear that he had no interest in collaborating with him due to his history of antisemitic remarks.

“@kanyewest ASKED PERMISSION TO SAMPLE A SECTION OF A 1983 LIVE PERFORMANCE OF WAR PIGS FROM THE US FESTIVAL WITHOUT VOCALS & WAS REFUSED PERMISSION BECAUSE HE IS AN ANTISEMITE AND HAS CAUSED UNTOLD HEARTACHE TO MANY,” Ozzy wrote at the time. “HE WENT AHEAD AND USED THE SAMPLE ANYWAY AT HIS ALBUM LISTENING PARTY LAST NIGHT. I WANT NO ASSOCIATION WITH THIS MAN!”

On the flipside, Ozzy was pleased with T-Pain’s cover of “War Pigs,” calling it, “the best cover of ‘War Pigs’ ever.”

T-Pain responded with respect and gratitude, writing back, “You’re always invited. Top of the list, every time!! Thank you so much. Means a lot coming from the greatness himself.”

Ozzy Osbourne leaves behind his wife Sharon, five children from two marriages, and a host of family, friends, and fans.

VIBE sends condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Ozzy Osbourne.