Prince of Darkness Ozzy Osbourne has passed away at 76.
His family shared the news earlier today, saying he was surrounded by loved ones when he went.
“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.
Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis”
Ozzy wasn’t just the heavy metal God biting heads off bats or yelling into mics. His voice was the sound behind some of the most legendary skate video parts of all time.
When Black Sabbath played, clips hit harder. It was heavy, gnarly, and felt right with the kind of skating that didn’t hold anything back.
Fred Gall skated to “Lord of This World” in Inhabitants. That part hit like a hammer. Matt Mumford’s part in Misled Youth had “N.I.B.” and felt like a full-on assault. Braydon Szafranski ripped through “Under the Sun” in Baker 3. Peter Hewitt destroyed everything in his “Hand of Doom” part from Destroy Everything Now. Bryan Herman floated through “Fairies Wear Boots” in Stay Gold. Henry Sanchez brought the fire with “Symptom of the Universe” in Tim and Henry’s Pack of Lies.
Zered Bassett and Dennis Busenitz shared “The Wizard” in Skate More and made it unforgettable. Donny Barley skated to “Megalomania” in Welcome to Hell. Josh Kalis used “Supernaut” in Chicago’s Finest. Fred Gall showed up again with “Children of the Grave” in Timecode. Every one of these parts felt harder, faster, and meaner because of Sabbath.
Here’s just a few of the classics:
Fred Gall – “Lord of This World” (Inhabitants)
Braydon Szafranski – “Under the Sun” (Baker 3)
Matt Mumford – “N.I.B.” (Misled Youth)
These songs didn’t just fill the background. They gave weight to the skating. They added mood. They made clips feel heavier and gave each trick a soundtrack you could feel in your gut. Ozzy’s voice made everything sound bigger.
And it wasn’t just the music. Ozzy’s image made its way into skating too. He showed up on decks from brands like Dogtown and Birdhouse. His style and attitude fit right in with skateboarding’s don’t care attitude. Even people who never listened to metal knew who he was and respected what he brought.
Ozzy played his final show on July 5, 2025. Not long after, his daughter Kelly got engaged to Slipknot’s Sid Wilson. It felt like Ozzy was still living big, even near the end. No one thought the end would come this soon.
For a lot of skateboarders, Ozzy’s voice will always bring back memories of VX footage, dusty skate shops, and late-night sessions with speakers turned up way too loud. His music will keep playing in edits, in old parts, and in clips getting filmed right now.
Rest easy to the Prince of Darkness. You’ll always be part of skateboarding.