Limp Bizkit Bassist Sam Rivers Dies; Band Pays Tribute

Sam Rivers, founding bassist, backing vocalist and co‑founder of Limp Bizkit, has died, with the band announcing his passing on Instagram and most outlets reporting he was 48 (one reported 46). The group offered an emotional tribute calling him “our brother… our heartbeat” and “pure magic,” and DJ Lethal asked fans to respect the family’s privacy; no official cause of death has been released. Rivers co‑founded Limp Bizkit in 1994 and helped define the band's sound on hits including “Break Stuff,” “Rollin’” and “My Way.” He took an extended hiatus in 2015 due to liver disease attributed to heavy drinking, underwent a life‑saving liver transplant in 2017, and rejoined the band for shows in 2018 after his recovery. Bandmates remembered his stage presence and influence on the music, and his final Instagram post — a flashback to one of the band’s albums — was shared a day before the announcement.