Sam Rivers, founding bassist of Limp Bizkit, died on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at age 48, the band announced via Instagram. The post, signed by Fred Durst, Wes Borland, John Otto and DJ Lethal, called Rivers “the pulse beneath every song” and did not disclose a cause of death. Multiple outlets confirmed the statement and age, noting the tribute asked fans to respect the family’s privacy while celebrating his musical legacy.
Rivers co-founded Limp Bizkit in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1994 and helped drive the group’s late-1990s/early-2000s rise, including on multi-platinum releases such as Significant Other (1999) and Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000). He briefly left the band while addressing alcohol-related liver disease, received a transplant, and later rejoined, appearing on all six studio albums and recent tours, according to contemporaneous reporting and band histories. Publications emphasized his groove-led style and backing vocals as central to the band’s sound.
