Ozzy Explains Why He Denied Kanye West’s “Iron Man” Request
Earlier this month, two major names in modern music sort of clashed when Ozzy Osbourne blasted rapper and apparent Burzum fan Kanye West for using an unauthorized sample of the Black Sabbath song “Iron Man” during an album listening party, as well as in a song. The conceit was that the “Prince of Darkness” wasn’t a huge fan of the rapper’s recent months long anti-Semitic streak full of tirades and public displays of hate.
During a newly published interview with Rolling Stone, Ozzy further explained exactly why he felt compelled to shut down the rapper. After saying he felt he had to stand up to Kanye because “nobody else would fucking do it,” Ozzy said he didn’t regret going public with his feelings on the matter.
“With the current state of affairs, you don’t need anybody starting people on discrimination of any kind. It’s wrong. It’s just wrong.
“There’s enough fucking aggravation, and he shouldn’t say anything [like what he has]. It’s wrong if you don’t say anything about him. I don’t want any of my work in any shape or form to be associated with anything like that.”
As you may recall, West (also known as Ye) was hosting a listening party with Ty Dolla Sign on February 8 in support of their collaborative new album Vultures. Prior to that party and album release, West asked Ozzy’s people if he could use the clip of a 1983 performance of “Iron Man” in promotional material and as part of the song “Carnival.”
Given West’s apparent adoration of Adolf Hitler and Nazis in general, Ozzy expressed his disgust on the matter. West’s grossly dangerous, anti-Semitic rhetoric was blasted by Ozzy, who emphatically said in a tweet that he wanted “no association” with the man.
“[Kanye West] ASKED PERMISSION TO SAMPLE A SECTION OF A 1983 LIVE PERFORMANCE OF ‘IRON MAN’ 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!”
To get around the sample issue during the listening party, West’s 2010 song “Hell of a Life,” which features a legally obtained sample of “Iron Man,” was played instead. As for the sample on the album, West replaced the use of the Black Sabbath classic on streaming versions all together.
