Sam Rivers, bassist and founding member of the metal band Limp Bizkit recently passed away on Saturday, and the band announced in a social media post.
The band stated, “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. From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced. His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous.”
DJ Lethal reveals Sam Rivers’ cause of death
No cause of death was stated by the band, but DJ Lethal appeared to imply Sam Rivers died of cancer, though he didn’t explicitly state it. It could be a case of him showing it’s a cause Rivers’ supported.
Sam likely died of cancer per DJ Lethal. 💔
byu/Legitimate-Crazy9266 inLimpBizkit
Sam Rivers has had a history of alcohol-related liver disease. Rivers has helped define Limp Bizkit’s signature nu metal sound, which was heavily driven by its rhythm section. During an interview with NME in 2020, Rivers disclosed that when he left the band in 2015, fans were told it was due to back problems.
In reality, the bassist was quietly facing a much more serious diagnosis, liver disease that had developed after years of heavy drinking.
Rivers first learned of his condition in 2011, as he later detailed in the book Raising Hell: Backstage Tales From the Lives of Metal Legends. In that same period, he shared that excessive alcohol use had severely damaged his liver.
In an interview with The PRP, he said, “I was diagnosed in 2011. I didn’t really get what was happening back then… I stopped drinking and battled the liver disease for a bit.”
His health worsened and Rivers described being admitted to UCLA Hospital. In an interview with Metal Injection, he said, “It got so bad I had to go to UCLA Hospital and the doctor said, ‘If you don’t stop, you’re going to die. And right now, you’re looking like you need a new liver.’”
Ultimately, Rivers received a life-saving liver transplant in 2017 which was a “perfect match,” as he later told NME. The procedure gave him a second chance, and he returned to the band determined to live healthier and make the most of his renewed life. His willingness to discuss his recovery publicly helped raise awareness about liver disease and the dangers of addiction in the music industry.
Following a long period of rehabilitation, Rivers rejoined Limp Bizkit for shows in 2018, performing with renewed energy. He told Loudwire, “I got treatment for the alcohol and got a liver transplant, which was a perfect match. I’m back, and I feel amazing.”
