Sam Rivers cause of death update: How did Limp Bizkit bassist die? First details out

Sam Rivers, the longtime bassist and founding member of Limp Bizkit, has died.

Sam Rivers, the longtime bassist and founding member of Limp Bizkit, has died, the band confirmed in an emotional statement shared on Instagram. He was 48 years old.

Sam Rivers has died at the age of 48(X)

The post announced that Rivers passed away earlier Saturday, describing him as ‘pure magic - the pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound’.

Limp Bizkit called him not only a gifted musician but also ‘a once-in-a-lifetime person and a legend among legends’, adding, ‘Rest easy, brother. Your music never ends’.

"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," the band wrote. "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."

Rivers’ musical journey began in Jacksonville, Florida, where he grew up playing with drummer John Otto. He later met frontman Fred Durst while working at a Chick-fil-A in the early 1990s.

The original trio, Rivers, Otto, and Durst, later recruited guitarist Wes Borland and DJ Lethal, finalizing the iconic Limp Bizkit lineup in 1996. Together, they released six studio albums, including the era-defining “Significant Other” (1999) and “Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water” (2000), which propelled them to international fame.

Rivers stepped away from the band in 2015 after being diagnosed with a severe liver disease linked to heavy drinking. Following a successful liver transplant, he made a triumphant return in 2020, continuing to perform with the band that helped shape a generation of nu-metal fans.

However, no cause of death has been confirmed yet.