Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers dead at 48. Nu-metal icon, hailed by bandmates as ‘pure magic’ and ‘the heartbeat,’ passes away, leaving behind a legacy of defining the genre’s sound.
Sam Rivers, the founding bassist for the iconic nu-metal band Limp Bizkit, has died. The musician passed away at the age of 48 on Saturday, October 18, 2025.
The news was confirmed by the band in an emotional statement that paid tribute to the rhythm and soul Rivers brought to their music.
“The Pulse Beneath Every Song”
Limp Bizkit shared the announcement on their official social media accounts, describing the devastating loss.
“Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat,” the band wrote in the tribute, signed by the remaining members: vocalist Fred Durst, guitarist Wes Borland, drummer John Otto, and turntablist DJ Lethal. “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.”
They hailed him as a “once-in-a-lifetime kind of human. A true legend of legends,” whose “spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory.” DJ Lethal urged fans to respect the family’s privacy but encouraged them to “play Sam Rivers basslines all day!”
A Defining Groove in Nu-Metal
Born Samuel Robert Rivers on September 2, 1977, Rivers was a pivotal figure in the creation and success of Limp Bizkit. He formed the band in Jacksonville, Florida, with his cousin John Otto (drums) and Fred Durst (vocals) in the mid-1990s.
His deep, groove-driven basslines became a defining characteristic of the band’s sound, blending heavy rock with hip-hop and funk elements that propelled the nu-metal genre into the mainstream.
Rivers contributed to all six of the band’s studio albums, providing the unforgettable rhythmic foundation for massive hits like “Nookie”, “Break Stuff”, and “Rollin’.”
Past Health Battles
While the band did not disclose an official cause of death, Rivers had publicly discussed significant health challenges in the years leading up to his passing.
- Liver Disease: Rivers stepped away from the band in 2015 after being diagnosed with severe liver disease, which he later confirmed was caused by excessive drinking.
- Transplant and Return: Following a successful liver transplant in 2017 and a focus on sobriety and recovery, he made a triumphant return to the band in 2018 and recorded their latest album, Still Sucks (2021).
Sam Rivers’ death leaves a major void in the band and the nu-metal community, marking the loss of a foundational musician whose talent and energy helped define a generation of heavy music.
He was 48.
Follow Europeans24 for more updates!
