Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers has died at the age of 48.
The nu metal band announced the passing of the musician in an Instagram statement on Saturday (18.10.25), describing him as “pure magic” and as “the pulse beneath every song”.
A cause of death is yet to be given.
The Take a Look Around group – consisting of lead vocalist Fred Durst, drummer John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland and turntablist DJ Lethal – captioned a photo of Rivers performing on stage: “Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat.
“Sam Rivers wasn’t just our bass player – he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound.
“From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced. His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous.”
Limp Bizkit’s post continued: “We shared so many moments – wild ones, quiet ones, beautiful ones – and every one of them meant more because Sam was there.
“He was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of human. A true legend of legends. And his spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory.
“We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, always. Rest easy, brother. Your music never ends.”
DJ Lethal commented underneath the post to urge fans to respect the privacy of Sam’s family.
He wrote: “Give Sam his flowers and play Sam Rivers baselines all day!
“We are in shock. Rest in power my brother! You will live on through your music and the lives you helped save with your music, charity work and friendships. We are heartbroken. Enjoy every millisecond of life. It’s not guaranteed.”
Rivers was a founding member of Limp Bizkit after he and Durst became friends whilst working at a shopping mall in Jacksonville.
The pair played together in the band Malachi Sage before going on to form the Break Stuff rockers.
Sam – who was honoured with the Gibson award for Best Bassist in 2000 – left Limp Bizkit for a number of years in 2015 because of his liver disease from “excessive drinking”.
He told author Jon Wiederhorn for the book Raising Hell: “I quit drinking and did everything the doctors told me.
“I got treatment for the alcohol and got a liver transplant, which was a perfect match.”