EXCLUSIVE: Cypress Hill’s B-Real Talks Black Sabbath’s Indelible Impact

The entertainment world lost a giant on Tuesday (July 22), when Black Sabbath frontman, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and beloved reality T.V. star Ozzy Osbourne died at 76.

The celebrated “Prince of Darkness” had just reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates for a final concert in Birmingham, England earlier this month. Tributes are still pouring in on social media from fans and peers, who were all impacted by Osbourne in some way.

Despite Osbourne’s stranglehold on metal, he was mourned by every type of artist imaginable, including hip-hop legends like B-Real of Cypress Hill. Speaking to AllHipHop mere hours after the news broke, B-Real spoke about his connection between Black Sabbath, Ozzy and Cypress Hill’s sophomore album, Black Sunday.

“I didn’t think it was going to come this soon,” B-Real said. “He was one of my biggest influences. I was a big Ozzy Osbourne fan and then I got introduced to Black Sabbath after the fact. He was definitely big in my life. Black Sabbath, Black Sunday—you hit it on the head.”

B-Real expounded in an Instagram post, writing, “His impact was monumental, his story was like no another and he meant so much to many of us growing up to his music. Outside of hip-hop, before I even knew what the genre was, he was one of my musical idols.

“Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Mad Man blew my young mind. Later finding his work in Black Sabbath cemented him as one of my favorite artists ever. The legend that he is, he blessed us with one last performance before saying good bye and people will now realize how special that was. He’s gone but will never be forgotten. Long live the spirit of Ozzy.”

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Ozzy Osbourne’s final concert with Black Sabbath took place on July 5 at the “Back to the Beginning” concert in Villa Park, Birmingham, the band’s hometown. The emotionally charged event saw the reunion of the original Black Sabbath lineup after two decades: Ozzy, Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi and Bill Ward.

Due to ongoing health issues, including his struggle with Parkinson’s disease, Ozzy performed from a black throne—a poignant departure from the wild, energetic frontman fans had come to know. Despite these challenges, the crowd of 40,000 witnessed a powerful set featuring classics like “War Pigs,” “N.I.B.,” “Iron Man” and a rousing final rendition of “Paranoid.”

The spectacle not only celebrated the legacy of Black Sabbath but also served as a touching tribute to Ozzy’s indelible impact on heavy metal, marking the end of an era with dignity and affection from both his bandmates and fans.

Ozzy Osbourne’s family—which includes wife Sharon Osbourne and five children—announced his death with an Instagram post that read: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”

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