‘ROB & BIG’ STAR BIG BLACK DEAD AT 45

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.

Chris was 45.

#RIP