Ozzy Osbourne threatened to sue Kanye West for sampling a Black Sabbath song without permission. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 11 (UPI) — Ozzy Osbourne threatened to sue Kanye West for sampling Black Sabbath’s “Iron Man” after the embattled rapper put the heavy metal classic on his newly released album, “Vultures, Volume 1,” without permission. In a post to the platform X on Friday, Osbourne said West reached out to ask if he could sample a portion of the 1983 live performance of “Iron Man,” but he “was refused permission because he is an antisemite and has caused untold heartache to many,” Osbourne wrote in all caps. Advertisement
West allegedly “went ahead and used the sample anyway at his album listening party last night,” Osbourne claims, adding “I want no association with this man!”
Osbourne referenced an impromptu performance Thursday night at Chicago’s United Center, where West and co-producer Ty Dolla $ign performed tracks from the new album, including the song “Carnival,” which contains the riff from Black Sabbath.
Ozzy’s wife and representative, Sharon Osbourne, issued a statement saying, “We are considering legal action. Our team have spoken with theirs.”
Amid the uproar, West’s camp reportedly put out an audio clip of Osbourne from an infamous 1982 interview in which the rocker said he admired the charisma of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler before allegedly biting off the head of a bat.
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West previously sampled “Iron Man” in a 2010 song titled “Hell of a Life” on his fifth studio album, “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.”
He faced backlash last year after making anti-Semitic comments in the media, but he has since apologized to those he hurt.