Sam Rivers, Limp Bizkit‘s OG bass player and one of the architects of the nu-metal sound, has died. He was 48.
Bizkit confirmed the news with a heartfelt post:
In Loving Memory of Our Brother, Sam Rivers
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.
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.
— Fred, Wes, John & DJ Lethal
Born on September 2nd, 1977, in Jacksonville, Florida, Rivers began his music career in the local scene, where he first met Fred Durst. The two initially played together in a band called Malachi Sage before going on to form Limp Bizkit in the mid-1990s.
Rivers played bass throughout the group’s career and briefly took on additional guitar duties on their 2003 album, Results May Vary, after guitarist Wes Borland temporarily split with the band. He appeared on all six of Bizkit’s studio albums and was reportedly in the process of recording a seventh at the time of his death. In September, the band released their first new song in four years, the instant hit “Making Love to Morgan Wallen.”
Across his three stints with Bizkit (1994–2006, 2009–2015 and 2018–2025), Rivers dealt with ongoing health issues, including degenerative disc disease and liver disease, the latter of which eventually led to a 2017 liver transplant.
Outside of his main band, Rivers contributed to songs by other prominent artists, including Marilyn Manson (“Redeemer”) and David Draiman (“Forsaken”). He also continued to be active in the Jacksonville music community, producing several local acts including Burn Season, the Embraced, Indorphine and Sleepkillers.
Revolver sends our deepest condolences to River’s friends, family and fans.