--- title: 'Rob & Big' Star Christopher 'Big Black' Boykin Dies at 45 description: Boykin starred opposite professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek on the reality series canonical: https://time.com/4773570/christopher-big-black-boykin-dies/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-05-10T08:27:25.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-08T09:01:42.658Z article:section: Entertainment og:title: 'Rob & Big' Star Christopher 'Big Black' Boykin Dies at 45 og:description: Boykin starred opposite professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek on the reality show og:url: https://time.com/4773570/christopher-big-black-boykin-dies/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd068319f4dfe75b5/6988ccb286f68ef8ea6e49ef/gettyimages-488134525.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3000 og:image:height: 1688 og:image:alt: Pre-Fight Party For "The Moment: Mayweather Vs Maidana" og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 'Rob & Big' Star Christopher 'Big Black' Boykin Dies at 45 twitter:description: Boykin starred opposite professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek on the reality show twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd068319f4dfe75b5/6988ccb286f68ef8ea6e49ef/gettyimages-488134525.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # _Rob & Big_ Star Christopher 'Big Black' Boykin Dies at 45 > Sponsored content. 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Terms and conditions apply. * Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account. * No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle. * Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner. * Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account. ## Video: Rob & Big Star Christopher 'Big Black' Boykin Dies at 45 [Watch (HLS stream): Rob & Big Star Christopher 'Big Black' Boykin Dies at 45](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/GchVA6no.m3u8) (0:42)  _Published 2017-05-10. Christopher “Big Black” Boykin, who starred on MTV’s Rob & Big, has died_ by [Natalie Stone / People](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Natalie Stone / People Contributor May 10, 2017 8:27 AM UTC Christopher “Big Black” Boykin, who starred on MTV’s Rob & Big, has died by [Natalie Stone / People](https://time.com/author/people/) ## Natalie Stone / People Contributor May 10, 2017 8:27 AM UTC Christopher “Big Black” Boykin, who starred on MTV’s _Rob & Big_, has died. Boykin, who starred opposite professional skateboarder [Rob Dyrdek](http://people.com/tag/rob-dyrdek/) on the reality series, passed away on Tuesday morning (May 9) from a heart attack, a rep for Boykin confirms to PEOPLE. The [6′ 6,” 375-lb. reality star](http://people.com/celebrity/rob-bigs-chris-big-boykin-to-be-a-dad/) appeared as Dyrdek’s bodyguard on 19 episodes of the MTV show from 2006-08, [according to his IMDb profile](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0791283/?ref%5F=fn%5Fal%5Ftt%5F1), before the show abruptly ended following friction between the duo. “It was a strange period,” Dyrdek said in a March 2016 interview with Graham Bensinger about the difficult period between himself and Boykin after the show’s end. “I had been a pro skateboarder for years, so me transitioning to mainstream fame was relatively smooth, right, where for him, the idea that man he was like working security two years earlier and now he’s on television, it was a much different dynamic. But I think we both struggled with I didn’t want to be known as like Rob from _Rob & Big_ … and I think he didn’t want to be known for like the sidekick. So that created a lot of that tension between me and him.” According to Dyrdek, the duo was “paid the same in that era.” “I think it was more the fundamental struggle of wanting to not be so connected to each other,” Dyrdek added. “Ultimately, after we had a big blowout creatively over an idea … things were so tense at certain times — it’s funny now that I think about it — but we literally would film some of the funniest things that we have ever done and would be losing it and then walk away and not talk to each other. It was super, super bizarre.” Boykin, 45, is survived by his daughter, 9-year-old [Isis Rae Boykin](http://celebritybabies.people.com/2008/04/16/chris-big-black/). “MTV is deeply saddened to learn the news of Christopher ‘Big Black’ Boykin’s passing,” an MTV spokesperson said in a statement, obtained by PEOPLE. “He was a longtime and beloved member of the MTV family and will be greatly missed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends at this time.” After learning about his passing, celebrities took to social media to remember Boykin. > [](https://twitter.com/chanelwestcoast/status/862097560399261696) > [](https://twitter.com/KailLowry/status/862102457907851266) > [](https://twitter.com/therealjuicyj/status/862105148549496832) [TMZ](http://www.tmz.com/2017/05/09/rob-big-christopher-big-black-boykin-dead/) first reported the news. _This_ [_article_](http://people.com/tv/rob-big-star-christopher-big-black-boykin-dead/) _originally appeared on_ [_People.com_](http://people.com/) ## Transcript [00:00] Christopher Boykin, know as Big Black, from MTV's Rob & [00:03] Big, has died. Boykin's rep confirms to People that [00:07] he passed away on Tuesday morning, from a heart attack [00:10] at the age of 45. The 6' 6 ", 375 [00:15] lb reality star appeared in the hit show Rob & Big, [00:18] alongside pro skater Rob Dyrdek from In 6 to 2008 [00:22] before the show abruptly ended. Boykin is survived by his [00:26] nine year old daughter Isis Ray. This afternoon Chanel [00:29] West Coast who worked with Boykin on Rob Dyrdek's [00:32] Fantasy Factory Tweeted, RIP BigBlack. My heart is [00:35] crushed. 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