Limp Bizkit co-founder and bassist Sam Rivers has died at the age of 48. His death was reported just days after the event, with TMZ initially reporting that St. Johns County, Florida Fire Rescue responded to a call on Saturday, October 18, for a “nonresponsive person in cardiac arrest.” While an official cause of death has not been announced, a spokesperson for the St. Johns County Sheriff’s office indicated that deputies responded to an “attended death” at Rivers’ address. This classification typically means the deceased was a patient under medical care for a serious or life-threatening illness likely to result in a near-term death.

Rivers had a known history of health issues, having been diagnosed with liver disease in 2011 due to excessive drinking. He received a liver transplant in 2017 after taking a temporary leave from the nu-metal band in 2015, only to return in 2018. Billboard attempted to reach out to St. Johns Country Fire Rescue, the Sheriff’s office, and Limp Bizkit’s spokesperson for further comment but received no immediate response.

Following his passing, members of Limp Bizkit shared heartfelt tributes. Singer Fred Durst posted an emotional message on Monday, expressing his profound sorrow: “it’s so tragic he’s not here now” and admitting to having gone through “gallons and gallons of tears since yesterday.” Durst lauded Rivers as a legend who “did it. He lived it.” Earlier, the band—comprising guitarist Wes Borland, DJ Lethal, and drummer John Otto—released a joint statement commemorating their compatriot. They described Rivers as “pure magic,” “the pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound.” They emphasized that “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.”

Despite the tragic loss, Limp Bizkit appears poised to continue with its scheduled late 2025 Gringo Papi South American tour dates. The tour is set to resume on November 29 in Mexico City, followed by performances in Costa Rica, Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Argentina, before concluding on December 20 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. As of now, no replacement for Rivers has been announced. Additionally, Billboard’s Live Music Summit is scheduled for November 3 in Los Angeles.