VMAs: How Aerosmith's Steven Tyler, More Paid Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne

The Prince of Darkness was given a fitting VMAs sendoff.
Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Joe Perry led a musical tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne at the MTV Video Music Awards Sept. 7, where alongside Yungblud and Nuno Bettencourt they honored the Black Sabbath cofounder with a medley of his biggest hits.
But first, Ozzy's son Jack Osbourne appeared in a video message with his kids, saying, "I wish we could be there with you all tonight as you celebrate my dad's amazing musical journey. I know for sure it would make him incredibly happy to see these great musicians carry on his legacy and help inspire the next generation of rockers."
Yungblud kicked off the show with a shirtless performance of “Crazy Train,” before moving into the ballad “Changes." The Aerosmith musicians then stepped into the spotlight for “Mama, I’m Coming Home,” with Yungblud joining them at the end to form a powerful trio.
“Time's gone by, it seems to be / You could have been a better friend to me / Mama, I'm coming home,” Steven sang, while a cross was illuminated by purple lights behind him. They shouted at the end of the tribute, “Ozzy forever!”
Ozzy died in July in his native England just weeks after a star-studded farewell show saw him reunite with Black Sabbath bandmates and musical peers like Anthrax, Alice in Chains and Metallica.
In the years leading up to his death at 76 from a heart attack, Ozzy had faced health struggles, including a long battle with Parkinson's disease.
“There was a level of like, ‘OK, he’s not suffering anymore,'" his son Jack, 39, said about his father's death in a Sept. 3 YouTube video. "He’s not struggling. That is something. I wish he was still here. I wish he was still with us all but he was having a rough go."
Ozzy died in July in his native England just weeks after a star-studded farewell show saw him reunite with Black Sabbath bandmates and musical peers like Anthrax, Alice in Chains and Metallica.
In the years leading up to his death at 76 from a heart attack, Ozzy had faced health struggles, including a long battle with Parkinson's disease.
“There was a level of like, ‘OK, he’s not suffering anymore,'" his son Jack, 39, said about his father's death in a Sept. 3 YouTube video. "He’s not struggling. That is something. I wish he was still here. I wish he was still with us all but he was having a rough go."
His older sister Kelly Osbourne, the middle of Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne’s three kids together, also shared insight into how she grappled with her dad’s death in the weeks after.
“Grief is a strange thing," the 40-year-old wrote on her Instagram Story Aug. 4. "It sneaks up on you in waves—I will not be ok for a while—but knowing my family are not alone in our pain makes a difference. I'm holding on tight to the love, the light, and the legacy left behind."
Kelly also expressed gratitude to slew of her dad's fans who reached out to her following his passing.
"I've sat down to write this a hundred times and still don't know if the words will ever feel like enough... but from the bottom of my heart, thank you," the Osbournes alum wrote. "The love, support, and beautiful messages I've received from so many of you have truly helped carry me through the hardest moment of my life. Every kind word, every shared memory, every bit of compassion has meant more than I can ever explain."
Read on to see more celebs at the VMAs.
In custom Fendi and Swarovski jewelry.
In custom Ludovic de Saint Sernin.
In Ludovic de Saint Sernin.
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