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Sam Rivers, Limp Bizkit's founding bassist, died at the age of 48 on October 18, 2025, as per US Weekly. The loss was made known to the world by the group through a joint statement shared on social media by his bandmates Fred Durst, Wes Borland, John Otto, and DJ Lethal. Rivers was among the founders of the group and provided the essential component in the sound that made Limp Bizkit a giant in the nu-metal movement.
According to rock writer Jon Wiederhorn's book Raising Hell (Backstage Tales From the Lives of Metal Legends), Rivers exited Limp Bizkit briefly in 2015 due to a liver disease diagnosis, caused by excessive drinking.
Rivers recovered well after a successful liver transplant. He got back with Limp Bizkit in 2018 and continued performing and touring with the group until his recent death in 2025.
Sam Rivers’ departure and return to Limp Bizkit
Sam Rivers left Limp Bizkit in 2015 due to serious health problems. Although it was reported previously that the bassist had left the group due to degenerative disc disease, it was later revealed that the reason for his departure was a liver disease diagnosis, as per Loudwire.
He was replaced by Samuel Gerhard Mpungu and Tsuzumi Okai for the live stage bass, as the band continued touring. Rivers received a liver transplant in 2017 and was able to come back to health and regain his stamina. He was back performing with Limp Bizkit in 2018, alongside Fred Durst, Wes Borland, John Otto, and DJ Lethal on the stage as well as in the recording studio. His comeback carried great significance for the band as well as the fans, as he was a vital component of their early sound, starting in 1994.
Sam Rivers stuck around in the group for the following years, performing and attending festivals throughout the world. His presence expressed his care and dedication towards the music, his bandmates, as well as fans.
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Career highlights and musical impact
Sam Rivers was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and founded Limp Bizkit alongside Fred Durst and John Otto in 1994. Wes Borland on guitar and DJ Lethal would be added later after the band came together. The mix of rock, rap, and metal music caught on and secured the band a recording contract and international attention.
The albums, including Significant Other (1999) and Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000), were emblematic of Limp Bizkit's late-'90s/early-'00s nu-metal craze. Sam Rivers' heavy, chugging bass lines were a primary component of the band's hits (Nookie, Break Stuff, and My Way). His playing style in part formed the sound that, for a few years, set Limp Bizkit apart from other rock bands of the time.
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Sam Rivers received the Best Bass Player award at the Gibson Awards in 2000 for his contribution to music. During his spare time from Limp Bizkit, he pursued another project and was part of Sleepkillers and co-produced songs for other bands. On these albums, he continued to demonstrate his ability as a musician and producer.
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