text: UPDATED: Christopher “Big Black” Boykin, half of MTV’s “Rob & Big” duo, died on Tuesday, his rep confirmed to Variety. He was 45. 
   
   A cause of death has not yet been reported. 
   
   Boykin was skateboarder and entrepreneur Rob Dyrdek’s best friend and bodyguard, starring alongside him in “Rob & Big” for three seasons. The fan-favorite reality series showed the two in their day-to-day lives, filming such adventures as adopting a mini-horse and breaking Guinness world records. 
   
   The show premiered in 2006 and ended in 2008, after Boykin had a child and stopped living with Dyrdek. He would go on to appear in several episodes of Dyrdek’s follow-up to “Rob & Big,” “Fantasy Factory,” as well as three episodes of Dyrdek’s other MTV show, “Ridiculousness.” 
   
   “MTV is deeply saddened to learn the news of Christopher ‘Big Black’ Boykin’s passing,” MTV said in a statement. “He was a long time 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.” 
   
   Before he was on television, Boykin served in the U.S. Navy. He also started a clothing line named after his catchphrase, “Do work,” in 2007. 
   
   Boykin last tweeted just a day before his death, on Monday. Chanel West Coast, who appeared with Boykin on “Fantasy Factory” and “Ridiculousness,” tweeted after news broke, “RIP Big Black. My heart is crushed. I’ll remember all the times you made me laugh and my prayers go out to your family.” 
   
   RIP @BigBlack. My heart is crushed. I'll remember all the times you made me laugh and my prayers go out to your family ❤️🙏🏼😢 — Chanel (@chanelwestcoast) May 10, 2017 
   
   He is survived by a nine-year-old daughter, Isis. ||||| 'Rob & Big' Star Big Black Dead at 45 
   
   Rob & Big Star Christopher 'Big Black' Boykin Dead at 45 
   
   EXCLUSIVE 
   
   
   
   Christopher 'Big Black' Boykin, who was the other half of Rob Dyrdek's hit MTV show "Rob & Big" -- has died ... TMZ has learned. 
   
   His rep tells us Chris died Tuesday morning. No official cause of death yet, but multiple people connected to Chris tell us they believe it was a heart attack. 
   
   He was Rob's best friend and bodyguard on their reality show, which ran from 2006 to 2008 -- and also later appeared on 'Fantasy Factory.' 
   
   The pals got into a bunch of random adventures -- like breaking Guinness World Records, exorcising their house, installing an ATM ... and, of course, catching people with their net gun. 
   
   Chris and Rob's relationship became strained while shooting their show. Rob talked about their falling out a couple of years ago. 
   
   They eventually patched things up. Not only did they work together on 'Fantasy Factory' ... but Chris recently posted a throwback pic of them from the show's heyday. 
   
   Before he was a TV star, Boykin served in the U.S. Navy. He's survived by his 9-year-old daughter. 
   
   'Big Black' was 45. 
   
   #RIP
target: – Christopher "Big Black" Boykin, star of MTV reality show Rob & Big, died Tuesday of an apparent heart attack at the age of 45, TMZ reports. “He was a long time and beloved member of the MTV family and will be greatly missed," Variety quotes MTV as saying in a statement. Rob & Big ran from 2006 to 2008 with Boykin appearing as best friend, bodyguard, and roommate to professional skateboarder Rob Dyrdek. The show chronicled various shenanigans, including adopting a mini horse, breaking Guinness World Records, and snaring people with net guns. "We truly were brothers that lived an unexpected unforgettable adventure," Dyrdek tweeted. "I just can't fathom that it would end so suddenly." Boykin, a veteran of the Navy, also started his own clothing line based on his catchphrase, "Do work." He's survived by a 9-year-old daughter.