MTV Star Dies of Apparent Heart Attack

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. (More obituary stories.)