Rod Stewart’s Ozzy Osbourne AI tribute leads to fan backlash

  • Rod Stewart under fire over AI tribute to Ozzy Osbourne
  • Osbourne poses with late musicians in tribute
  • He died July 22

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(NewsNation) — Legendary rockstar Rod Stewart has been hit with backlash over an AI-generated tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne.

Stewart, 80, is on tour and has been dedicating his hit “Forever Young” to the Black Sabbath icon after Osbourne’s death two weeks ago.

On Aug. 1 in Atlanta, the tribute featured AI images of Osbourne taking selfies with other late musicians in heaven, including Michael Jackson, Prince, Tina Turner, Bob Marley, Freddie Mercury, Kurt Cobain, George Michael and Amy Winehouse.

The AI tribute wasn’t a hit among some fans, who described it as “tacky” and “embarrassing.” However, others praised the addition to the show, according to Fox News.

“If this is Rod’s way of showing respect to those people that passed away, that’s his way,” wrote another fan.

“Everyone is gonna show respect their own way, everyone is different, everyone isn’t gonna do it the same way.”

Osbourne died at age 76, just weeks after a huge farewell concert for his fans.

He was laid to rest last week in Birmingham, England. Thousands of Black Sabbath and Osbourne fans gathered along Birmingham’s Broad Street, a well-known entertainment area.

Black Sabbath was formed in the city in 1968.

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