“I’ve seen your face a thousand times
Every day we’ve been apart
And I don’t care about the sunshine, yeah
‘Cause mama, mama, I’m coming home.”

Those haunting lyrics, penned and sung by English icon and former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne, now carry a heartbreaking weight. Today, the world lost the ‘Prince of Darkness’ as he passed away peacefully at the age of 76. Despite a long and public battle with Parkinson’s disease, Ozzy gave fans one last unforgettable performance just weeks ago.

Earlier this month, he appeared at Villa Park in Birmingham—dressed in black and seated on his trademark throne—for what fans hailed as the “greatest heavy metal show ever.” Ozzy spent his final moments surrounded by loved ones, his family said as they confirmed news of his passing. Tributes poured in from around the world, including heartfelt messages from fighters connected to Conor McGregor’s circle. BKFC fighter and The Mac Life journalist Oscar Willis, a figure close to McGregor’s camp, took to social media to honor Ozzy.

Sharing a photo of the legendary rocker, he quoted one of Ozzy Osbourne’s most infamous lines: “He’s my f–king midget and I’ll f–king do what I want with him.” Willis followed it up with a more emotional post on Complex Music’s Instagram page: “Ozzy Osbourne got to do his last gig, and slip away a week or so later. Good for him. Legend.”

Dillon Danis, another longtime Conor McGregor teammate, also paid tribute to the heavy metal pioneer, calling him an inspiration. He tweeted: “Ozzy Osbourne. The voice, the energy, the chaos. There will never be another like him. He changed music forever and gave a generation something to believe in. Thank you for everything, legend. You’ll never be forgotten 🖤⚡”

Over the years, Ozzy Osbourne’s distinctive voice and electrifying stage presence earned him a massive global following. But with fame came backlash. Religious groups often condemned him, accusing the ‘Prince of Darkness’ of encouraging youth to embrace Satanism. His outrageous on-stage behavior—infamous and headline-grabbing—only added fuel to the fire, making him one of the most controversial yet iconic figures in rock history.

How Ozzy Osbourne earned the title ‘Prince of Darkness’

The title “Prince of Darkness” has roots that stretch back centuries. The phrase originates from the Latin princeps tenebrarum, which appeared in early Christian writings. John Milton, the celebrated poet, later popularized it in English, using the phrase in his 17th-century epic *Paradise Lost* to describe Satan. Over the years, the term became firmly linked with the devil himself.

Fast-forward to 2016, when Ozzy Osbourne explained how the ominous title came to define his own legacy. Speaking with NME, the legendary rocker traced it back to the chilling first chord of Black Sabbath’s self-titled 1970 track. The eerie tone, he recalled, sent shivers down spines and even scared off some concertgoers—especially women near the stage.

Reflecting on the experience, Osbourne said: “They thought we were Satan’s f–king friends or something. That’s when the whole Prince of Darkness sh-t started. When people get excited about Halloween coming around each year, all I think is, ‘Well, we used to have Halloween every f–king night.’”

From that point on, Ozzy Osbourne embraced the Prince of Darkness persona, while Black Sabbath carved out a legacy as the godfathers of heavy metal—a genre often steeped in dark, rebellious themes that critics frequently associated with Satanic imagery. How do you view Ozzy Osbourne’s legacy? Share your thoughts below.