Ozzy Osbourne has heaped praise on singer T-Pain for his new version of a classic Black Sabbath song, calling it “the best cover of ‘War Pigs’ ever”.
Writing on X/Twitter, the 75-year-old heavy metal pioneer added: “Why didn’t you guys call me?”
In response, 39-year-old T-Pain wrote: “You’re always invited. Top of the list, every time!! Thank you so much. Means a lot coming from the greatness himself.”
In a follow-up message, the Florida-born singer added: “First thing I said was ‘wow’ This is an honor and the greatest form of validation. Thank you brother @OzzyOsbourne”.
“War Pigs” is an anti-war protest song, which was first released by Black Sabbath in 1970 as the opening track from their second album Paranoid.
The heavy metal trailblazers were formed two years earlier in Birmingham by singer Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward and bassist Geezer Butler.
T-Pain’s take on the song was originally included on his covers album On Top Of The Covers, released last March. The version Osbourne was commenting on is a live version taken from T-Pain’s December record On Top of The Covers (Live From The SunRose), which was recorded in Los Angeles.
Ozzy Osbourne (left) and T-Pain— (Getty)
He could be heard in an episode of The Osbournes podcast informing his family about the video.
“I put it on and I died!” he said. “The thing on YouTube, which goes, ‘Celebrities Who Have Died Today,’ and there’s a picture of me.”
He then referenced Monty Python and the Holy Grail, joking: “I’m not dead. I’m not really dead… just a little flesh wound.’”
“I’m not dead,” he continued. “I’m not going any-f****ing-where and I’m going to go do some more gigs before I’m finished anyway.”
Osbourne revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2020, a year after suffering injuries to his neck and back in a fall.
Speaking to The Independent in 2022, Osbourne declared his intention to overcome those health issues and perform live again.
“I’ve made a pledge,” he said. “I will do whatever is physically possible until the summer of next year. If by then I can’t, then I can’t, but I’ll have given it my best.
“I’m pretty confident. I will get back on stage if it f***ing kills me, because if I can’t do it then that’s what’s gonna happen anyway, I’m gonna f***ing die. I love to see them audiences.”
