R.I.P.: Sam Rivers, Limp Bizkit Bassist

Sam Rivers, the founding bassist and backing vocalist for the nu-metal band Limp Bizkit, died Saturday, at the age of 48. 

The band announced the news via a heartfelt Instagram post later that day, describing him as their "heartbeat" and "the soul in the sound." No official cause of death has been disclosed, though Rivers had a well-documented history of alcohol-related liver disease, including a transplant in 2018 after leaving the band temporarily in 2015 for health reasons. 

Limp Bizkit's post read in part:

"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. 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. We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, always. Rest easy, brother. Your music never ends."

DJ Lethal (Leor Dimant), the band's turntablist, commented: "We are in shock... Please respect the family’s privacy at this moment."

Born September 2, 1977, in Jacksonville, Florida, Rivers grew up immersed in the local music scene alongside Limp Bizkit drummer John Otto. He met frontman Fred Durst while working at a Chick-fil-A, bonding over shared interests before forming the short-lived band Malachi Sage in 1994. That same year, they founded Limp Bizkit with Otto, later adding guitarist Wes Borland and DJ Lethal. 

Rivers provided the band's signature funky basslines, contributing to their explosive rise in the late '90s nu-metal era.  The band went on hiatus from 2006 to 2009, during which Rivers produced local Jacksonville acts like Burn Season and The Embraced. He also guested on tracks by artists including Marilyn Manson ("Redeemer"), Disturbed's David Draiman ("Forsaken"), and Black Light Burns ("I Have a Need").

In 2015, Rivers stepped away due to severe liver issues from heavy drinking, as he later shared in Jon Wiederhorn's 2020 book Raising Hell: "I had to leave Limp Bizkit in 2015 because I felt so horrible... 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." He rejoined in 2018 and toured actively until his death, including a recent Canadian show opening for Metallica on April 26, 2025.