‘Claim to Fame’: JR Opens up About ‘Huge Superstar’ Brother After Elimination (Exclusive)

JR may have struck out when it comes to guessing Chris’ famous family member, but the Claim to Fame star couldn’t have been more proud to share that his own celebrity relative is none other than his little brother, Lil Nas X. Following his elimination in Monday’s episode of the ABC celebrity guessing game, JR opened up to PopCulture.com about his “huge superstar” younger brother and the decision to try to guess Chris’ mysterious relative once again.

JR, whose full name is Robert Lamar Stafford Jr., told PopCulture that the “Old Town Road” rapper was “happy” for him going into the Claim to Fame house, cheering him on to “win it all.” That dream came crashing down in Monday’s episode when JR incorrectly guessed Billy Idol as Chris’ relative, sending him packing as the eighth person to be eliminated on Season 2. 

JR was “prepared for the consequences of possibly saying the wrong celebrity for Chris,” who previously sent home players who guessed he was related to Elvis Presley and Elton John. But because there was “a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff going on that was not shown,” JR told PopCulture he let his “pride get the best of [him]” because he felt like Chris “had to go.”

JR might not have accomplished his goal of sending Chris packing, but he was thrilled to shock the rest of his competitors with the revelation that he’s Lil Nas X’s older brother. “You can never judge a book by its cover because you will never know who someone is related to,” he said of the big reveal. “We both have two different worlds but share the same love for each other!”

*Our relationship is a typical brother bond,” he continued. “The only difference is that he’s a huge superstar so he is busier than most, however when we link up, we never miss a beat.” He continued, “What people don’t know is how hard he works on every single project. His vision is immaculate and he makes it come to life and that is what I love the most about him.”

Lil Nas X had similarly kind words for his brother after the reveal, saying in a video message on Monday’s episode, “I’m happy you’re out here doing your thing. I’m thankful for you, I’m thankful for all the support you give me and all the love you show me throughout my life. Love you!” Claim to Fame (produced by Kinetic Content) airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.