LOS ANGELES, Aug. 2 -- Slipknot guitarist James "Jim" Root has appeared to cast doubt on a report that longtime bandmate Sid Wilson has been permanently removed from the group.

TMZ reported on Friday that Wilson, Slipknot's DJ and keyboardist, had been kicked out earlier that day, bringing his 28-year tenure with the metal band to an end.

The outlet cited a source close to the group, although neither Slipknot nor Wilson has publicly confirmed the claim.

Root responded hours later with a cryptic Instagram Stories post soundtracked by Slipknot's 2008 song Til We Die, urging fans not to accept the report at face value.

"Don't believe everything you read," Root wrote. "Stop. Think. Take a breath. Sit with it for awhile. Maybe. Just maybe ...