Some pretty wild reports have been circling the metal world over the past few days, claiming longtime Slipknot DJ Sid Wilson has been fired from the band after more than 25 years.
The bombshell allegations originated with gossip rag TMZ, who reported last Friday that Wilson had been informed he was officially out of the masked metal titans.
Before we venture any further down this particular rabbit hole, though, there’s one very important caveat: neither Slipknot nor Wilson has publicly confirmed that he’s left the band.
In fact, Slipknot guitarist Jim Root appeared to pour at least a little cold water on the speculation after the original report surfaced, sharing a cryptic Instagram post urging fans not to “believe everything you read” and to wait until more information emerged.
Root didn’t mention Wilson or TMZ by name, so his post stopped short of directly denying the claims.
But now, TMZ has doubled down.
In a new follow-up report, the outlet claims sources “with direct knowledge” have told them Wilson’s alleged firing was the result of Slipknot “finally” having enough of his behaviour – specifically, the way he allegedly treated his bandmates.
According to TMZ’s “unnamed sources”, the decision had been “a long time coming” rather than something made suddenly or in response to a single incident.
The outlet further claims Slipknot had actually been planning to announce Wilson’s departure themselves this week, only to lose control of the rollout when TMZ spilled the tea early.
According to the report, the premature ejaculation of the news caused the band to “freak out behind the scenes”, with members allegedly frustrated they were no longer able to announce the split on their own terms.
Again, none of those claims have been publicly confirmed by Slipknot or Wilson, and at this stage they remain allegations attributed to anonymous sources speaking with TMZ.
Wilson himself has since been spotted for the first time since the story broke.
TMZ approached the muso outside a Los Angeles recording studio on Sunday and asked him point-blank whether he’d been fired from Slipknot.
Wilson kept his head down and declined to respond before heading inside the studio with a mate.
Naturally, that’s done little to quieten the speculation – but silence in the face of a TMZ camera is hardly confirmation of anything either.
Wilson joined Slipknot in the late ’90s and has spent more than 25 years as one of the most recognisable members of the band’s classic nine-piece lineup.
Known as #0, his turntables, samples and famously chaotic stage presence have become an integral part of Slipknot’s sound and live identity.
If his departure is ultimately confirmed, it would mark another major lineup shake-up for the Iowa metal institution following the exits of Craig Jones and Jay Weinberg in 2023.
For now, though, we’re firmly in “reports are circulating” territory.
TMZ is standing by its original story and has now offered an alleged explanation for Wilson’s reported firing, while Slipknot and Wilson themselves have yet to officially address his status.
We’ll keep you posted if that changes.
Further Reading
Watch Slipknot’s Sid Wilson Propose To Kelly Osbourne At Black Sabbath’s Final Show
