logo
RIP Ozzy Osbourne: Black Sabbath frontman dies just weeks after farewell gig to fans

RIP Ozzy Osbourne: Black Sabbath frontman dies just weeks after farewell gig to fans

The Citizen3 days ago
Prince of Darkness: Ozzy Osbourne pioneered heavy metal with Black Sabbath before carving out a highly successful solo career.
Heavy metal group Black Sabbath lead singer Ozzy Osbourne poses for pictures as he arrives for the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA) in Glasgow, Scotland. Picture: AFP
Legendary heavy metal star Ozzy Osbourne has passed away at the age of 76 just two weeks after he reunited with his Black Sabbath bandmates on stage at Villa Park, in his home city Birmingham.
In a statement on Tuesday, his family said: '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.'
British singer Ozzy Osbourne performs during the closing ceremony for the Commonwealth Games at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, central England, in 2022. Picture: AFP
The Prince of Darkness: Ozzy Osbourne's farewell concert…
For his epic farewell concert, Osbourne performed in front of a 40 000-strong crowd from a throne at Villa Park.
'It's the last song ever. Your support has enabled us to live an amazing lifestyle. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,' the hell-raising lead singer, who had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2019, told emotional fans after finishing the set with Paranoid – the band's most famous song.
The concert also featured performances from some of the 76-year-old iconic performer's favourite acts, including Metallica and Guns'n'Roses.
Ozzy Osbourne: Pioneering heavy metal
Born John Michael Osbourne on 3 December 1948 in Birmingham, he left school at 15 and did odd jobs including factory work before teaming up with school friend Geezer Butler in several bands.
Nicknamed the 'Prince of Darkness', Osbourne pioneered heavy metal with Black Sabbath before going on to have huge success in his own right, as well as becoming a reality TV star on The Osbournes.
The Grammy Award-winning musician was known for iconic heavy metal hits, including Iron Man, Paranoid, War Pigs, Crazy Train and Changes – both with the band and as a solo star.
🖤 Rest in power, Ozzy Osbourne.
The godfather of heavy metal. His legacy echoes through the halls of MI, from the students he inspired, to the artists and clinicians who followed in his path. A true original. Thank you, Ozzy. 🤘 #RIPOzzy pic.twitter.com/VTZQVoIANC
July 22, 2025
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

WATCH: Before John Cena, there was Hulk Hogan – 5 of the wrestler's most iconic moments
WATCH: Before John Cena, there was Hulk Hogan – 5 of the wrestler's most iconic moments

The Citizen

time18 hours ago

  • The Citizen

WATCH: Before John Cena, there was Hulk Hogan – 5 of the wrestler's most iconic moments

Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan passed away at his home in Clearwater, Florida, after suffering cardiac arrest at the age of 71. Wrestlers John Cena and Hulk Hogan present an award onstage at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards held at Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk on August 14, 2005 in Universal City, California. Picture: Getty Images via AFP For those of us who grew up in the 1980s, Hulk Hogan was a household name, much like John Cena and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson are today. Hogan paved the way for many of today's WWE stars to grow beyond the wrestling franchise. Who is Hulk Hogan? Hulk Hogan was born Terry Gene Bollea on the 11 August 1953 in Augusta, Georgia. He started his professional wrestling career in 1977 and signed a contract with the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) in 1983. Hogan soon took the WWF by storm, becoming the first wrestler to win consecutive Royal Rumble matches. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of fame in 2005. Wrestler Hulk Hogan with Sylvester Stallone (left) and Vince McMahon (right) attend the induction of Hulk Hogan into WWE Hall of Fame at Universal Amphitheatre on 2 April 2005 in Los Angeles, California. Picture: Getty Images via AFP Hulk Hogan's acting career Throughout his illustrious career, Hulk Hogan acted in a host of Hollywood blockbusters, with Rocky III being one of his breakthrough roles. In 2005, his reality TV show, Hogan Knows Best, aired on VH1. Wrestler Hulk Hogan appears on MTV's Total Request Live at MTV's Time Square Studios on 15 March 2006 in New York. Picture: Getty Images via AFP Hogan always wore a bandana on his head and proudly showed off his horseshoe/handlebar moustache. For much of the 80s, Hogan was the face of the WWF, and he paved the way for many modern wrestlers to follow suit. Five of the most iconic moments in Hulk Hogan's career Hulk Hogan acts in Rocky III (1982) One of Hogan's biggest Hollywood roles came in Rocky III, where he played a character named 'Thunderlips'. This was undoubtedly Hogan's biggest film role and helped him seal his professional contract at the WWF. Hogan signs a professional contract with WWF (1983) Shortly after his cameo in Rocky III, the WWF offered him a professional contract. Hogan was lured to the WWF by Vince McMahon, who saw him as the perfect face of the wrestling federation. Hulk Hogan body slams Andre the Giant to win Wrestlemania (1988) One of the most iconic matches in Hogan's career was against Andre the Giant. At the time, Hogan had been the reigning WWE champ for 1 474 days. Andre the Giant was the favourite to win the match but Hogan prevailed by body slamming his big opponent. This move won the match for Hulk Hogan, but caused a lifetime injury to his back. Hogan inducted into WWE Hall of Fame by Sylvester Stallone (2005) In 2005, Hulk Hogan finally got inducted into WWE Hall of Fame at the Universal Amphitheatre. The Rock vs. Hollywood Hogan (2002) One of the biggest modern matches for the rebranded Hollywood Hulk Hogan was when he wrestled against Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson in the WWE. Although he did not win this match, it was one of the biggest matches to take place at the Toronto Skydome. This was the first match between the two opponents, drawing a lot of attention from fans, although it was not a title match. ALSO READ: Wrestling boss Vince McMahon quits WWE amid misconduct allegations

Donald Trump, Sylvester Stallone lead tributes for WWE legend Hulk Hogan
Donald Trump, Sylvester Stallone lead tributes for WWE legend Hulk Hogan

IOL News

time20 hours ago

  • IOL News

Donald Trump, Sylvester Stallone lead tributes for WWE legend Hulk Hogan

Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan greets the crowd during the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Crown Jewel pay-per-view at the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh on November 2, 2018. Hulk Hogan, the iconic face of professional wrestling in the 1980s who parlayed his prowess in the ring into an acting career, has died at the age of 71, US media reported on July 24, 2025. Picture: Fayez Nureldine/AFP Image: Fayez Nureldine/AFP US President Donald Trump led the tributes for WWE legend Hulk Hogan, who died at the age of 71 on Thursday. Hogan, who was born Terry Gene Bollea, died a month after rumours emerged that he was battling with his health. According to reports, he died after suffering a cardiac arrest at his home. Hogan had long been associated with Trump. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Trump Pays Tribute to Hulk Hogan on Truth Social: A MAGA Icon Remembered On Thursday, Trump paid tribute to Hogan on Truth Social: 'We lost a great friend today, the 'Hulkster.' Hulk Hogan was MAGA all the way — Strong, tough, smart, but with the biggest heart,' Trump posted. 'He gave an absolutely electric speech at the Republican National Convention, that was one of the highlights of the entire week. He entertained fans from all over the world, and the cultural impact he had was massive. To his wife, Sky, and family, we give our warmest best wishes and love. Hulk Hogan will be greatly missed!' WWE co-founder Vince McMahon said of Hogan: '[He was] the greatest WWE Superstar of all time.' Hollywood actor Sylvester Stallone, who acted alongside Hogan in Rocky III, said on Instagram: 'He was absolutely wonderful and his amazing skill made Rocky three incredibly special. My heart breaks. I think that he's gone…' WWE Legends Pay Tribute to the Iconic Hulk Hogan Fellow WWE star Rick Flair paid tribute to Hogan on X: I Am Absolutely Shocked To Hear About The Passing Of My Close Friend @HulkHogan ! Hulk Has Been By My Side Since We Started In The Wrestling Business. An Incredible Athlete, Talent, Friend, And Father! 'Our Friendship Has Meant The World To Me. He Was Always There For Me Even When I Didn't Ask For Him To Be. He Was One Of The First To Visit Me When I Was In The Hospital With A 2% Chance Of Living, And He Prayed By My Bedside. Hulk Also Lent Me Money When Reid Was Sick. Hulkster, No One Will Ever Compare To You! Rest In Peace My Friend!' Another pro wrestler, Sting said on X: 'Can't thank you enough for all that you did for me and for wrestling fans all over the world. I loved you and I will miss you. My friend, Terry Bollea, RIP,' Sticking with WWE legends, The Undertaker said on X: 'The wrestling world has lost a true legend. His contributions to our business are immeasurable and for that I am appreciative. Thank you, Hulk Hogan.' @Michael_Sherman IOL Sport

Amid heaps of political chaos, Heads of State delivers humour and heart in unexpected ways
Amid heaps of political chaos, Heads of State delivers humour and heart in unexpected ways

Daily Maverick

time21 hours ago

  • Daily Maverick

Amid heaps of political chaos, Heads of State delivers humour and heart in unexpected ways

There is much to enjoy in this comedy that has its stereotypes, but manages to avoid the pitfalls that would make it feel outdated. On paper, Heads of State seems like the usual half-baked action comedy that relies on low-brow humour and big explosions to keep its audience interested. But even though this Amazon Prime Video release does contain moments like that, it's much smarter, better made and more entertaining than most 'straight-to-streaming' action movies. The far-fetched but fun premise sees US President Will Derringer (John Cena) and British Prime Minister Sam Clarke (Idris Elba) forced to work together to survive when Air Force One is shot down over Belarus and they're the only survivors. They've been targeted by Russian arms dealer Viktor Gradov (Paddy Considine), who's also responsible for wiping out a CIA-MI6 task force led by British agent Noelle Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) sent to capture him in the film's opening sequence. In the absence of Derringer and Clarke, US Vice-President Elizabeth Kirk (Carla Gugino) must keep Nato from disintegrating during a summit in Trieste, Italy, after a leak of classified documents revealing that the allies were spying on each other. The least implausible part of this set-up is that Derringer used to be an action movie star whose bravado irritates the buttoned-down Clarke, who worked his way up from a housing estate. This forms the basis for a classic mismatched buddy action comedy in which antagonism between the leads turns into grudging respect and eventually friendship. The two main characters could have been nothing more than broad stereotypes of Americans and Brits, but screenwriters Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec (Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol) give the characters some depth and nuance, providing Cena and Elba a lot to work with. Despite the impression his big-lug appearance and professional wrestling past creates, Cena is surprisingly good at playing characters who lack self-awareness. Derringer might be brash, but he's also naively optimistic and genuinely wants to make the world a better place. This grates on veteran politician Clarke, the typically more cynical Brit grumbling about the clueless American. But underneath it all, Clarke has the same ideals, and it's highly enjoyable watching his tough exterior slowly start to warm to the golden retriever persona by his side. Elba's charisma is on full display and he and Cena make a likeable double act. It's refreshing to watch a film that shies away from gratuitous violence or the nasty, cruel tone that permeates many modern action movies. There's a sense of fun and lots of wit in the action sequences and fights, which contain many clever, tongue-in-cheek moments, as Clarke with his army background ribs Derringer, who's only been in movie stunt fights. It's no spoiler to reveal that Bisset survives the opening sequence and catches up with the two politicians, whom she tries to keep alive while they're being pursued by Gradov's assassins. Chopra Jonas' no-nonsense, ultra-competent spy is a welcome element to the central dynamic as she has a past with Clarke and also frequently shows up the men in the fight scenes (it's emphasised that Derringer is happily married, so there's no love rivalry between him and Clarke). Unexpected shots and humorous sequences Though the film does feel a bit long at the halfway mark, director Ilya Naishuller (Nobody) has a firm grip on balancing the comedy and thrills, while using some unexpected shots and humorous sequences (such as a fast-paced flashback capturing Bisset's search for Derringer and Clarke) to add some originality. South African viewers will spot Sharlto Copley in a cameo role, a possible nod to his working with Naishuller on the director's first film, Hardcore Henry (2015). Jack Quaid (The Boys) also enlivens an action scene as a young CIA agent whose excitement at meeting Derringer belies his ingenuity as a spy. It all culminates in a hugely enjoyable final act in which Clarke must drive the US presidential car in reverse through the narrow streets of Trieste while Bisset and Derringer try to fend off a seemingly endless number of assassins with an infinite amount of weapons. Given that the film was mostly shot in 2023, it's also unexpectedly timely and even daring in the current political climate as it earnestly defends Nato and the merit in working together to protect democracy. But this movie isn't focused on messaging — it's focused on entertaining its audience, and viewers looking for a film that can be enjoyed by the whole family should definitely give this throwback to the buddy action movies of the '80s and '90s a chance. DM

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store