‘Claim to Fame’: Cole Talks ‘Bullseye’ on Him Before Elimination, Relationship With Sister Alicia Keys (Exclusive)

Claim to Fame star Cole had a sense his elimination was coming after sending Eddie Murphy’s daughter Shayne home during last week’s episode – and he was right. In Monday’s episode of Claim to Fame, Cole was eliminated by Karsyn after it was revealed his famous family member is none other than his sister, Alicia Keys. Following his elimination, Cole opened up to PopCulture.com about the “bullseye” Shayne’s exit put on his back and the support of his Grammy Award-winning sister through it all.  

Growing up as a huge Survivor fan, Cole said he initially wanted to “fly a little more under the radar” than he actually did in the game. “Well last week I went against that [idea] and put a bullseye on my back! Look where that got me,” he joked, adding, “Can’t say I have any regrets while on the show, but it sucks to go home this early!” 

Despite the disappointment of being sent packing, Cole insisted it’s all love with his fellow contestants. “Now that I’m off the show and out of the game. My fellow contestants are no longer my competition and now I consider them all family!” he said, noting that there’s no “bad blood” even with Karsyn. 

When it comes to his actual family, Cole revealed that his celebrity sister “gave me her blessing” to be on the show, telling her brother “to have fun and go win the damn game!” He continued that the “Girl on Fire” singer is not just his sister, but his “role model” and “best friend,” gushing that the message from her broadcast at the end of this week’s episode “meant the world” to him. 

Cole and Keys didn’t grow up around one another, with the former being raised in Colorado and the singer-songwriter being raised in New York City. “I would see her once or twice a year but it would be the best time when we were with each other,” he recalled. “Then I graduated high school and Alicia and my brother in love [Swizz Beatz] said I should move out to NYC and be around them and my first nephew that was on the way.” 

Spending the next nine years in New York, Cole has nothing but “unforgettable memories” of that time and looks forward to “many more” to come. “Family means the world to me, and now everyone else sees that as well!” he added. Claim to Fame airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.