The music world has been reverberating with tributes since the death of Ozzy Osbourne, and hip-hop legend B-Real (of Cypress Hill) is among those mourning his passing the hardest. Ozzy Osbourne, the inimitable lead singer of Black Sabbath and a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, has died at age 76. The world is in mourning over the man who defined the darkest corners of heavy metal and somehow made those corners shine.
Just weeks before he died, Ozzy was able to reform the original Sabbath lineup, Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward, for one last, emotional show in their native Birmingham, England. He played from a black throne, diminished by Parkinson's disease yet still embodying the full force of his legacy in each lung-burrowing growl and howl.
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Osbourne's influence on rock and metal is well-documented, but he also spanned well beyond the realm of headbanging music. Exhibit A: B-Real of Cypress Hill, who offered his profound condolences a few hours after the news broke.
"I didn't know it was going to come this soon," B-Real said, his voice heavy with the pain of losing a childhood hero. "He was one of my greatest influences. I became a huge Ozzy Osbourne fan, and then discovered Black Sabbath afterwards. He was a significant presence in my life. Black Sabbath, Black Sunday, you nailed it."
The linkage between the Sabbath and Cypress Hill, and their landmark sophomore album, Black Sunday, was not just a lyrical coincidence; it was spiritual. To B-Real, Ozzy was not just a rocker; he was a culture-shaping influence on musical taste, artistic identity, and personal philosophy.
In a wrenching message on Instagram, B-Real went further: "His impact was unprecedented. His story was unlike any other, and he meant a great deal to many of us who grew up listening to his music. "Even outside hip-hop, before I even knew what it was, he was one of my musical idols."
Referring to albums like "Blizzard of Ozz" and "Diary of a Madman," B-Real drew a portrait of young minds blown open by Ozzy's raw energy and uncut emotion. And while Cypress Hill's sound was hip-hop to the core, the attitude and aggression owed a debt to the dark side of heavy metal.
Now with Ozzy gone, B-Real reminds us of what made the man immortal. "He left us with one last performance before saying farewell," he wrote. "But people are going to see now how special it was. He's gone, but will never be forgotten. Ozzy's spirit is immortal."
Ozzy's last bow may have come on July 5 in front of 40,000 fans, but those songs and his whole career continue to resonate with musicians of all stripes and ages, in nations around the world.
For the B‑Reals of the world, and there are millions of them, Ozzy was more than the "Prince of Darkness." He was a light in the fog, but his light is still burning.
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