Christopher "Big Black" Boykin has died at the age of 45. He starred as one of Rob Dyrdek's crew on ‘Fantasy Factory’ where they played practical jokes, performed hilarious stunts and created wild adventures. Boykin also starred as Dyrdek’s bodyguard in ‘Rob & Big’ until they broke apart due to creative differences.
Dyrdek told PEOPLE magazine he believed Boykin had a challenging time transitioning from being a bodyguard to mainstream media and that neither one of them wanted to be remembered as a duo. Each wanted his identity in the media. A Boykin representative told PEOPLE the star died from a Heart Attack Tuesday morning (May 9th).
Who is Christopher?
Known as a TV personality and a comedian, Boykin was born January 13, 1972, in Wiggins, Mississippi. He grew up with interest in music which leads to him becoming a member of the Hip Hop Group. He also made contributions to a skateboarding video game, created a clothing line, and held two Guinness World Records. He served in the United States Navy as a chef before becoming a bodyguard. He met Rob Dyrdek during his time as an executive protection specialist and the pair became friends.
They starred in ‘Fantasy Factory,' a show where Dyrdek and his friends (Chanel West Coast, Chris "Drama" Pfaff, Scott "Big Cat" Pfaff, Sterling "Steelo" Brim, Christopher "Big Black" Boykin) could hang out, have fun and live out crazy ideas.
The video below shows the friends playing dodge ball at the Fantasy Factory.
The show 'Rob and Big' was centered on the friendship between Dyrdek and Boykin. The two embarked on silly adventures and performed hilarious stunts together. Some of Big Black's stunts on the show includes beating the Guinness World Record of most donuts eaten in three minutes and appearing as a stripper named 'Black Lavender.'
'Rob & Big' ended when Boykin left the show.
It is unclear why Boykin left. Some sources say it is because tensions between Dyrdek and Boykin came to a boiling point, but other sources say Boykin left to take care of his family. Boykin married his long-time girlfriend, Shannon, in 2008 after the birth of their daughter, Isis. Boykin's media accounts are filled with pictures of his little girl, who is now nine years old.
Many stars were heartbroken to hear of Boykin's death and expressed their pain on Twitter. "My heart is crushed," says former co-star, Chanel West Coast.
