This past week, people in the skateboarding community were truly shocked to hear that Christopher Big Black Boykin lost his life. Boykin got his start as a security guard and partner for Rob Dyrdek for the TV show Rob & Big. Rob & Big was a reality television show that premiered on MTV almost a decade ago in 2006. The show followed professional skateboarder and entrepreneur Rob Dyrdek and his personal Bodyguard Christopher Boykin also nicknamed Big Black. The show had a three season run and lasted from 2006 to 2008. Episodes in the show feature Rob and his Bodyguard Big, and their crazy antics such as trying to break Guinness world records, having their home exorcised, teaching their dog how to skate, and buying a miniature horse. Both of them lived together in Rob's Hollywood Hills house. The show also featured characters such as Robs cousin Drama who is a DJ and Steve Berra, another professional skater and Rob's friend.
The show ended after the third season where the final episode showed Boykin was expecting a baby daughter and he had to move out of Rob's apartment. Since the show, he made guest appearances on Robs second show, "Ridiculousness and Fantasy Factory". Since then, he has been working on his own clothing line that sold hats and t-shirts with the phrase, "Do Work," which was a catchphrase that he frequently said.
Christopher Boykin was a native to Charlotte, Mississippi and spent his years there until graduating from high school. After he served time in the US Navy. Sometime after his discharge, he began working security and was hired by Rob Dyrdek to be his own personal bodyguard. Before Rob & Big, Boykin was even featured in a short video that was made by DC Shoes Company called The DC Video: Deluxe Edition DVD. Shortly after that, the television show we all know and love Rob & Big came to air.
After the fall of Rob & Big, due to the lack of interest and Rob getting annoyed at the lack of privacy of his home, he mentioned in a quote,
"I think towards the end it was such was just such a grind that, really, I was ready to move on. It's like, I live on the set. You know what I mean? [The crew] had one room for a control room, [Big Black] had his room, only he didn't live there, so really it was like I lived in a one bedroom with the lights in everywhere, and just dirty from people." ~Rob Dyrdek in a Video Interview
There also seemed to be a falling out between him and Big Black, and reconciled a year later. Christopher 'Big Black' Boykin was a well respected member of the skateboarding community. He is survived by his former wife and daughter. He will be deeply missed by the public and people that knew him.
