Rock legend Ted Nugent has weighed in on the passing of Ozzy Osbourne, offering a heartfelt and somewhat surprising tribute to the man widely known as the Prince of Darkness. In a recent statement, Nugent praised Ozzy’s character, spirituality, and influence—challenging long-standing misconceptions about the metal icon’s alleged ties to evil or satanism.
“Well, it doesn’t really matter because… bottom line is, we love Ozzy. He was a kind man, a gentleman, a hard‑working guy, extremely talented,” Nugent said. “He did a vocalization and a songwriting musical force to reckon with. So we’re praying for his family and his friends and those millions and millions of fans out there that are really traumatized.”
Nugent continued by emphasizing the emotional impact of Ozzy’s passing on fans across the globe.
“I mean, there’s a lot of heartbreak and a lot of crying going on. So we’re with you people, and we share your heartbreak, we share your emotion and we share your love for Ozzy. Our hearts are heavy for the Osbourne family because he was a good dad and a good husband.”
Ozzy’s public battles with addiction were well documented, but Nugent highlighted how the rock icon transformed over time—becoming a more light-hearted and positive presence in his later years.
“And as he got clean and sober, he was a fun guy. He was a funny guy, he was a cocky guy,” he said.
The most striking part of Nugent’s tribute came when he addressed Ozzy’s controversial stage persona. Contrary to the media’s portrayal of Osbourne as evil or satanic, Nugent offered a different take:
“And more importantly, he’s known as the Prince Of Darkness, he was a Christian. He was against war…”
Referencing Ozzy’s lyrics and public stance, Nugent added that the singer often promoted messages of peace and moral clarity.
“…I’ve been reviewing a lot of the testimonies and celebrations of Ozzy’s life, and a lot of his lyrics were for peace, supporting the military, good over evil, identifying the scourge of mankind, being negative and being evil and satanic.”
Nugent concluded with a bold statement:
“So I believe, I’m confident when I say that Ozzy Osbourne was a Christian.”
Whether you agreed with Ozzy’s stage antics or not, Nugent’s comments shed new light on a man who, despite his dark image, may have always walked a path rooted in deeper meaning.
