Sam Rivers, bassist, and co-founding member of Limp Bizkit, dies at age 48
Written by b87fm on 10/20/2025
Limp Bizkit’s Sam Rivers has died at 48, leaving behind a legacy that helped shape nu metal’s golden era.
The band shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram Saturday night, calling their longtime bassist “pure magic” and “a true legend of legends.”
“Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat,” Limp Bizkit wrote. “He wasn’t just our bass player — he was pure magic.”
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A Jacksonville native, Rivers joined the band at its inception in 1994 and became its youngest member when they dropped their breakout debut Three Dollar Bill, Y’all in 1997 at just 19 years old. His pulsing, gritty bass lines helped define Limp Bizkit’s signature fusion of hip-hop, metal, funk, and industrial energy.
“From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced,” the band’s tribute continued. “His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous.”
Rivers laid down the foundation on every major Limp Bizkit album — including the multi-platinum smashes Significant Other (1999) and Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000). His work powered some of their biggest hits, including “Break Stuff,” “Rollin’,” and “Take a Look Around,” helping push nu metal straight into the mainstream.
Outside the band, Rivers produced local Jacksonville acts like Burn Season, The Embrance, and Indorphine. He started out on guitar before switching to bass on the advice of a music teacher at Bishop Kenny High School.
DJ Lethal commented on the band’s post, asking fans to give the family privacy during this painful time. “We are in shock,” he wrote. “We are heartbroken. Enjoy every millisecond of life. It’s not guaranteed.”
Limp Bizkit continues touring and still commands nearly 21 million monthly Spotify listeners. No cause of death has been released.
