Kelly Osbourne Slams Dee Snider, Defends Ozzy's Music Legacy

Kelly Osbourne. (Instagram @kellyosbourne)

JAKARTA - Kelly Osbourne defended her late father, Ozzy Osbourne, after Twisted Sister vocalist Dee Snider questioned Ozzy's contribution to songwriting and offended Sharon Osbourne.

USA TODAY, quoted on Sunday, August 16, said the debate began when Snider, 71, responded to fans on X about the musicians who contributed to Ozzy's work.

Snider claimed Ozzy "always asked the bass player to write the lyrics" and Geezer Butler "wrote all the Black Sabbath lyrics".

He also said that Bob Daisley wrote the lyrics for Ozzy's first two solo albums. Snider suspected that Daisley wrote for other albums without getting credit. He also mentioned the late Motörhead vocalist, Lemmy Kilmister, as one of the lyricists.

In another post on X, Snider alluded to Kilmister's contributions and said he knew a lot of things that happened behind the scenes.

"I know too much about the truth behind the scenes," Snider wrote. "Just assume Sharon doesn't like to share."

Kelly responded through a series of Instagram Stories on Friday, August 14. He judged Snider's comments as trying to diminish Ozzy's musical legacy more than a year after his father died.

"My father's legacy as a musician, songwriter, singer, and band leader speaks for itself," Kelly wrote, as quoted by USA TODAY.

According to Kelly, people who have worked with Ozzy, those who love him, and his millions of fans know what the meaning and contribution of the Black Sabbath frontman left.

"His legacy will live forever," he said.

Kelly then made a dig at Snider's career journey.

"Your last hit, if I'm not mistaken, came out the year I was born, 40 years ago," he wrote.

He called Snider's comment "very unclassy" for throwing accusations at Ozzy when the musician could not respond.

"If Snider wants to invite comparisons between their careers, the comparison itself is enough to be devastating," Kelly said.

Ozzy's career spanned nearly six decades, starting with Black Sabbath and continuing through a hugely successful solo career.

Snider later tried to clarify his comments. He said the discussion about songwriting credits was not meant as an attack on Ozzy.

"To be clear, I have nothing but love for Ozzy. He's always been kind to me," Snider wrote in another post on X.

"Black Sabbath changed my life. As a songwriter, I can be a little sensitive about credit and royalties."

Ozzy Osbourne died on July 22, 2025 at the age of 76. A few weeks earlier, he performed for the last time with Black Sabbath in the "Back to the Beginning" concert in Birmingham, England.

The cause of his death was later revealed to be a heart attack.