Ozzy Osbourne knew the end was near during final performance, friend says

Ozzy Osbourne may have sensed the end was near during his final performance - and still chose to go out doing what he loved.

Weeks after the iconic Black Sabbath frontman died at 76, fellow musician Tom Morello opened up about Osbourne's final days, saying the Prince of Darkness seemed to know his time was near.

"Ozzy Osbourne's lived a pretty on-the-edge lifestyle for a long time," Morello said on Chicago's Q101 radio station. "The fact that he lived to play and feel that love and to one more time… you know, to do 'Paranoid;' to do 'Crazy Train.' If you have got to go - I mean, I wish Ozzy lived another 30 years - but if you've got to go out, it really felt like he knew."

OZZY OSBOURNE DEAD AT 76

Despite describing Osbourne's death as "a tragedy," Morello also called it "a miracle" that the rocker "lived as long as he did."

According to the Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave guitarist, Ozzy even rallied to attend the afterparty.

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"He had been frail for a while, but friends of mine saw him a week later. He was at another event in Birmingham a week later," Morello remarked.

Morello also opened up about being personally tapped by Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne to serve as musical director for a benefit concert in Birmingham, England on July 5 - just weeks before the rock legend's death.

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As he described Ozzy as "one of the all-time greats," Morello reflected on the moment the Osbournes asked him to be involved in the music event. He recalled that he wanted to make it "the greatest day in the history of heavy metal."

The 10-hour show was hosted by Jason Momoa, and featured performances from Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Jack Black, Steven Tyler and more. 

The lead singer of Black Sabbath died on July 22.

"It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning," the family said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital at the time. "He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time."

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On Aug. 5, Osbourne's official cause of death was revealed.

The singer died from cardiac arrest, acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease and Parkinson's disease, according to the death certificate obtained by Fox News Digital.

Osbourne is survived by wife Sharon, daughters Kelly and Aimee, and son Jack, in addition to daughter Jessica, and sons Elliot and Louis from his first marriage to Thelma Riley.

Fox News Digital's Christina Dugan Ramirez contributed to this report.