Limp Bizkit surprised followers in October 2025 by asserting the dying of founding member Sam Rivers at age 48.
Rivers’ Limp Bizkit bandmates Fred Durst, Wes Borland, John Otto and DJ Deadly launched a joint assertion on October 18, 2025, to substantiate the lack of their bandmate from undisclosed causes.
“Right now we misplaced our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat,” Limp Bizkit’s assertion learn. “Sam Rivers wasn’t simply our bass participant — he was pure magic. The heartbeat beneath each track, the calm within the chaos, the soul within the sound.”
The bassist was a founding member of the rap-metal group and remained with Limp Bizkit till a critical well being disaster pressured him to take a three-year break in 2015. Rivers made a triumphant comeback to Limp Bizkit in 2018 and continued taking part in with them till his dying in October 2025.
Preserve scrolling for extra data on Rivers’ life and dying.
How Did Sam Rivers Be part of Limp Bizkit?
Rivers met future Limp Bizkit frontman Durst whereas working at Chick-fil-A and so they quickly fashioned the short-lived band Malachi Sage. After Malachi Sage fizzled, the duo recruited drummer Otto for the primary incarnation of Limp Bizkit, with lead guitarist Borland and turntablist DJ Deadly finishing the traditional lineup in 1996.
The bassist was solely 19 years previous when Limp Bizkit’s 1997 debut album, Three Greenback Invoice, Y’all, was launched. He in the end performed on the entire nu-metal band’s studio albums, together with taking up lead guitar for 2003’s Outcomes Might Range when Borland briefly left.
Why Did He Depart Limp Bizkit?
Rivers introduced in August 2015 that he was taking a break from Limp Bizkit to cope with non-public well being points. He was changed by Samuel G Mpungu.
After assembly Rivers in 2019, Mpungu revealed that the method of him changing Rivers occurred inside a 24-hour interval.
“Each our lives modified drastically on the 18th August 2015,” Mpungu recalled. “Because of well being points, Sam sadly wasn’t in a position to tour any extra. The exact same day Sam needed to depart, I acquired a cellphone name which modified my life. LB Administration booked me a flight to Frankfurt, I went straight to soundcheck and performed my first present with Limp Bizkit in entrance of 5000 individuals. (unrehearsed) The next 3 years I performed all around the world with these superb musicians.”
In 2020, Rivers revealed in writer Jon Wiederhorn‘s e-book Elevating Hell (Backstage Tales From the Lives of Metallic Legends) that the true motive for his hiatus from Limp Bizkit was as a result of he was recognized with “liver illness from extreme ingesting.”
Sam Rivers and Fred Durst in July 2014. Chiaki Nozu/WireImage
“I needed to depart Limp Bizkit in 2015 as a result of I felt so horrible, and some months after that I spotted I needed to change every little thing as a result of I had actually unhealthy liver illness,” Rivers defined. “I stop ingesting and did every little thing the medical doctors advised me. I received remedy for the alcohol and received a liver transplant, which was an ideal match.”
Rivers talked about that he first began experiencing well being issues in 2011, however he “didn’t actually get what was taking place again then.”
“I ended ingesting and battled the liver illness for a bit,” he stated. “I received clear for about 9 or ten months and went on tour. I used to be tremendous clear, however my dwelling life wasn’t that nice on the time and as quickly as I received off tour I began ingesting, after which ingesting extra. I fell proper again into being a horrible drunk once more.”
The musician lastly received sober and dedicated to taking his well being severely after receiving a daunting warning from a physician.
“It received so unhealthy I needed to go to UCLA Hospital and the physician stated, ‘In the event you don’t cease, you’re going to die. And proper now, you’re wanting such as you want a brand new liver,’” Rivers stated. “I fought liver illness for a pair years and it gained. I needed to get a liver transplant in 2017.”
Rivers was in a position to rejoin Limp Bizkit one yr after his liver transplant.
Who Else Has He Labored With?
Rivers fashioned the band Sleepkillers with Burn Season vocalist Damien Starkey, Saliva drummer and vocalist Bobby Amaru and Puddle of Mudd guitarist Adam Latiff. Sleepkillers launched their self-titled debut album in 2019.
Throughout Limp Bizkit’s hiatus from 2006 to 2009, Rivers returned to the Florida music scene to provide music for Burn Season and Indorphine.
Sam Rivers in June 2025. Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle through Getty Photos
The bassist additionally labored with Marilyn Manson, industrial rock band Black Gentle Burns and Disturbed frontman David Draiman.
How Did Limp Bizkit Announce His Demise?
All 4 surviving members of Limp Bizkit launched a joint assertion on October 18, 2025, to substantiate Rivers’ dying.
“From the primary notice we ever performed collectively, Sam introduced a light-weight and a rhythm that would by no means get replaced. His expertise was easy, his presence unforgettable, his coronary heart huge,” they wrote through Instagram. “We shared so many moments — wild ones, quiet ones, lovely ones — and each one in every of them meant extra as a result of Sam was there.”
Limp Bizkit’s assertion continued, “He was a once-in-a-lifetime type of human. A real legend of legends. And his spirit will stay endlessly in each groove, each stage, each reminiscence. We love you, Sam. We’ll carry you with us, at all times. Relaxation straightforward, brother. Your music by no means ends.”
How Did He Die?
No reason behind dying was laid out in Limp Bizkit’s assertion. DJ Deadly requested for privateness on behalf of Rivers’ family members as they grieved.
“Please respect the household’s privateness at this second,” DJ Deadly requested followers through Instagram on October 18, 2025. “Give Sam his flowers and play Sam rivers basslines all day ! We’re in shock. Relaxation in energy my brother ! You’ll stay on by way of your music and the lives you helped save along with your music , charity work and friendships. We’re heartbroken 💔 take pleasure in each millisecond of life. It’s not assured
What’s Subsequent for Limp Bizkit?
Limp Bizkit haven’t but canceled their deliberate Gringo Papi Tour, which can also be scheduled to function Yungblud, 311, Ecca Vandal, Riff Raff and Slay Squad. The seven-date tour is ready to kick off on the Explanada del Estadio Banorte in Mexico Metropolis on November 29, 2025.
