Ozzy Osbourne Vs. Kanye West Over Classic Sabbath Song (2024 In Review)

12-04-2024

Kanye West scored a rare top 24 rock music story of February 2024 when he caused controversy after Ozzy Osbourne took to social media to blast the rapper for using a sample of one of the metal legend's live recordings after Ozzy had denied a request to use it.

Ozzy posted via his social media accounts after he learned that West reportedly had used a live recording of a Black Sabbath classic from Ozzy's appearance at the '83 US Festival during a listening part at Chicago's United Center.

Osbourne wrote, "Kanye West ASKED PERMISSION TO SAMPLE A SECTION OF A 1983 LIVE PERFORMANCE OF 'WAR PIG' [sic] FROM THE US FESTIVAL WITHOUT VOCALS & WAS REFUSED PERMISSION BECAUSE HE IS AN ANTISEMITE AND HAS CAUSED UNTOLD HEARTACHE TO MANY. HE WENT AHEAD AND USED THE SAMPLE ANYWAY AT HIS ALBUM LISTENING PARTY LAST NIGHT. I WANT NO ASSOCIATION WITH THIS MAN!"

According to Billboard, West seemed to have used the US Fest recording of the Black Sabbath classic "Iron Man", not "War Pigs". They spoke to Ozzy's wife and manager Sharon about the controversy.

Sharon said that Ozzy often allows other artists to sample his music, but decline to allow West to do so because "we don't want to be associated with a hater."

The "hater" reference appears to be related to the controversy surround West making antisemitic comments, which Ozzy directly addressed in his statement.