Ozzy Osbourne Explains Why He Rejected Kanye West’s Sample Request

Ozzy Osbourne recently shared his reasons for declining Kanye West’s request to sample one of his songs during the rapper’s album listening event in Chicago. West, now known as Ye, along with Ty Dolla $ign, hosted the event at the United Center to preview tracks from their upcoming album “Vultures.” One of the tracks played featured a sample from Ozzy’s live performance of “Iron Man” at the US Festival in 1983.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, Ozzy explained his decision, stating that he felt compelled to take a stand when approached to sample “Iron Man,” emphasizing that he didn’t want his work associated with any form of discrimination. He expressed no regrets about publicly expressing his disapproval of West’s actions.

Ozzy’s wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne, echoed his sentiments, emphasizing their refusal was rooted in not wanting to be associated with hate. She highlighted that since “Iron Man” credits the entire original Black Sabbath band, permission from all four songwriters would be required, which wasn’t granted.

The track in question, “Carnival,” reportedly contained the “Iron Man” sample but was released without it eventually. Despite the refusal, leaked audio of the track and video from the event confirmed the sample’s inclusion.

Consequences of Controversy

Ozzy’s refusal stems from his stance against hate speech, which he believes West has propagated through past remarks. West’s history of antisemitic comments led to him being labeled “antisemite of the year” by a watchdog group in 2022. His sponsors severed ties with him following these remarks, and West has faced difficulties booking venues for his shows due to his controversial statements.

Sharon Osbourne, who has a Jewish background, emphasized her discomfort with West’s actions, expressing her attachment to Judaism as her only religion. She clarified that their past Halloween costumes mimicking West and his wife were meant as a joke.

The controversy surrounding West extends beyond his sampling requests. Recently, he was pictured wearing a t-shirt from the controversial black metal band BURZUM, founded by Kristian “Varg” Vikernes, who has a history of extreme views and criminal activities.

In light of these events, Osbourne reiterated her stance against hate and discrimination, emphasizing the importance of taking a stand against such behavior, regardless of the individual involved.