Sam Rivers, the co-founding bassist and backing vocalist of the American nu-metal band Limp Bizkit, has died at the age of 48. The group confirmed his passing on social media, describing Rivers as “the heartbeat of the band” and “the soul in the sound.”

The announcement, shared on the band’s official Instagram page on October 18, stated:

“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.”

While the official cause of death has not been released, Rivers had long battled liver-related health complications that prompted a hiatus from Limp Bizkit in 2015 and a liver transplant in 2017. He made his return to the stage in 2018 after a period of recovery.

Born on September 2, 1977, in Jacksonville, Florida, Rivers co-founded Limp Bizkit in the mid-1990s alongside frontman Fred Durst and drummer John Otto. Known for his heavy, groove-driven bass style that blended elements of funk, hip-hop, and metal, Rivers played on all six of the band’s studio albums, including the multi-platinum releases Significant Other (1999) and Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000).

Tributes have poured in from across the rock and metal community. Fred Durst expressed his heartbreak, saying he had “shed gallons and gallons of tears” since receiving the news. Fans and fellow musicians have taken to social media to celebrate Rivers’ influence on the genre and his role in defining Limp Bizkit’s sound.

Music publications including Rolling Stone, The Guardian, and Billboard have hailed Rivers as a key figure in shaping the late-1990s nu-metal era, praising his ability to fuse intensity with rhythm and restraint — a balance that became central to the band’s global success.

As the world of rock mourns his loss, Limp Bizkit has asked fans to honor Rivers’ memory by revisiting his music and respecting the privacy of his family.

Rivers leaves behind a legacy of genre-defining bass lines and a sound that helped propel Limp Bizkit to international fame — a legacy that will continue to echo through concert halls, playlists, and the hearts of millions of fans around the world.