Nobody saw it coming. Back in 2019, if you told a die-hard Black Sabbath fan that the "Prince of Darkness" was about to jump on a track with a guy who has "Always Tired" tattooed under his eyes, they’d have laughed you out of the room. It sounded like a boardroom fever dream. A PR stunt. But the Post Malone Ozzy Osbourne connection turned out to be one of the most genuine, life-altering friendships in recent music history.
It wasn't just about the charts. Honestly, it was about survival.
The Text That Changed Everything
The story doesn't start in a high-rise studio. It starts with a persistent producer named Andrew Watt. Watt was hanging out with Kelly Osbourne at a party and, as one does when they're a world-class producer, he pitched a wild idea: "What if Ozzy sang on a Post Malone track?"
Ozzy’s initial response was classic. He reportedly asked, "Who the f*** is Post Malone?"
You’ve got to remember where Ozzy was at the time. He was in a dark place. He’d suffered a series of brutal health setbacks, including a nasty fall that required spinal surgery and a bout of pneumonia. He was sitting on his couch, feeling like his career was over. He was, in his own words, "lying in my own self-pity."
Then came Take What You Want.
Post Malone wasn’t even in the room when Ozzy recorded his vocals. He was in Utah, fresh off a tour. They communicated via FaceTime. When Ozzy finally stepped into Watt’s studio to lay down those iconic, haunting lines, something shifted. The "Post Man," as Ozzy called him, had unlocked something the legend thought was gone forever.
Why the Post Malone Ozzy Osbourne Dynamic Actually Works
On paper, they are polar opposites. One is the architect of heavy metal, a man who famously bit the head off a bat. The other is a genre-blurring superstar who bridged the gap between hip-hop, pop, and country.
But look closer.
Both artists share a specific kind of "outsider" energy. They both built careers on being exactly who they are, regardless of what the critics said. When they finally met in person at The Forum in Los Angeles, Post was terrified. He literally didn't know what to say. "I like your pants?" was the best he could come up with.
👉 See also: Fight or Flight Movie Release Date: Why This Josh Hartnett Thriller Is Everywhere Right Now
The "It's a Raid" Madness
If Take What You Want was the soulful introduction, their second collaboration, It's a Raid, was the chaotic after-party. Released on Ozzy’s Ordinary Man album in 2020, the song is a high-octane retelling of a real-life incident where Ozzy accidentally called the cops on himself during a drug-fueled bender in the 70s.
He thought he was pressing the button for the air conditioning. He was actually hitting the silent alarm.
Posty serves as the ultimate hype man on this track. It’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s a perfect encapsulation of their chemistry. They aren't trying to be "cool." They're just having a blast.
A Friendship Beyond the Studio
As we move through 2026, the legacy of this duo feels even heavier. With Ozzy’s recent passing in July 2025 and the final "Back to the Beginning" concert, fans have been looking back at his final decade. Post Malone was a massive part of that "third act."
- The Health Battle: Post was one of the few people who checked in constantly. When Ozzy went public with his Parkinson’s diagnosis, Post told Rolling Stone that you couldn't even tell because Ozzy was "so strong."
- The Mutual Respect: Ozzy famously said that working with Post was his favorite thing he’d done since his Black Sabbath days. That isn't just hyperbole. It was a career-reviving spark.
- The Crossover: This collaboration didn't just help Ozzy; it gave Post Malone "rock star" legitimacy that paved the way for his later ventures into different genres.
It’s easy to get cynical about celebrity "friendships." Usually, they disappear as soon as the album cycle ends. But the Post Malone Ozzy Osbourne bond lasted until the very end.
🔗 Read more: Where Can I Watch Camp Camp Right Now Without Getting Lost
What You Can Learn from This Unlikely Pair
Sometimes the best creative breakthroughs happen when you step entirely out of your comfort zone. Ozzy didn't need a "rapper" to stay relevant, and Post didn't need a "rocker" to sell records. They did it because the music felt right.
If you're looking to dive deeper into this era of music history, start by listening to the raw studio stems of Take What You Want. You can hear the tremor in Ozzy's voice—not from age, but from the raw emotion of being back in the game.
Next Steps for Music Fans:
- Listen to the "Ordinary Man" Documentary: It gives a behind-the-scenes look at the recording sessions where Ozzy admits Post "saved his life" by getting him off the couch.
- Watch the 2019 AMAs Performance: It’s arguably one of the best live televised rock performances of the last decade. The pyrotechnics are great, but the look on Post’s face—pure, unadulterated fandom—is the real highlight.
- Explore the Production: Look up Andrew Watt’s interviews about how he blended Travis Scott’s trap drums with Ozzy’s classic metal vocals. It’s a masterclass in modern engineering.
The Prince of Darkness might be gone, but the bridge he built to the next generation of artists remains. It’s a reminder that no matter how legendary you are, there’s always room for a new friend to help you find your voice again.