On Dec. 2, the day of his 74th birthday, a special mural of Ozzy Osbourne appeared in the center of his hometown of Birmingham, England.
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Painted for 15 hours over three days by artist Robbie Jeffcott, the mural of Osbourne is located in Custard Factory in central Birmingham, a creative and business complex featuring cafes, bars, and independent shops and workspaces.
“I only really paint people I admire,” said Jeffcott on why he wanted to paint Osbourne. “He’s just a living legend, probably the most well-known iconic musician to come from Birmingham. Having people walk past it and do little snaps to tag me on Instagram, it’s good for me. I’ve only had good feedback from it.”
Jeffcott, who studied fine art at Westminster University, was previously commissioned to paint Eminem, Amy Winehouse, Jimi Hendrix, and a number of other artists. He shared several images of his Osbourne mural in process on Instagram.
Osbourne has always spoken openly about his Birmingham pride. It’s also where Osbourne, along with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward formed Black Sabbath in 1968.
“I don’t get the chance to go and see Birmingham very often,” said Osbourne in 2019 when Birmingham hosted an exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of Black Sabbath. “I’ve never ever tried to hide my accent, and I’ve never denied that I’m from Birmingham. I’m absolutely so proud with what I’ve done with my life, it’s unbelievable. Just hold on to your dreams, because you know what? Every once in a while they come true.”
Osbourne added, “I am just a guy from Birmingham who’s been blessed to have had such dedicated fans throughout my career.”
The Prince of Darkness recently moved back to England for a new BBC reality series Home to Roost, which is set to premiere in 2023.
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for iHeartMedia
