Baron Jay Littleton Jr during the show (Photo: The Kanye Clone/Instagram)
The model also wore black sunglasses and a black baseball cap with the letters ‘YZS’ on the front, a mock-up of West’s ‘YZY’ brand.
Explaining why he wore the T-shirt, Littleton Jr said he wanted to “convey a message that Jewish lives matter”.
Speaking to New York Jewish Week, the 46-year-old added: “My intention behind it is that each culture can rally around each other. All ethnicities matter. Black lives matter, white lives matter.”
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Littleton Jr says he has imitated West for the last two decades. He explained: “People hire me to do bar mitzvahs, birthday parties, corporate events, meet and greets. Everywhere I go, I’m getting mistaken as Kanye West.”
West’s frequent anti-Jewish tirades in interviews began with a tweet last year in which he said he was going to go “death con 3” on Jewish people.
West’s numerous other comments since the October 2022 tweet led to him being dropped by his talent agency and attorney, as well as losing partnership deals with numerous apparel brands, most notably Adidas. He was also suspended from Twitter/X until earlier this summer.
Asked for his thoughts on West’s posts, Littleton Jr who is the same age as the singer, said: “I would like to create a world where different races are wearing each other’s ‘Lives Matter’ shirts. Black people wearing ‘Jewish Lives Matter; Jewish people wearing ‘Black Lives Matter’; Asian people wearing ‘Jewish Lives Matter.’"
Outside of his impersonations, Littleton Jr’s day job is serving as the director of the eponymous Baron Jay Foundation. The foundation aims to empower underprivileged youth in Los Angeles.
He said: “I really am able to resonate with these kids more and get them to trust me because I look like Kanye.” Littleton Jr said he puts the proceeds he makes doing gigs as West back into his foundation.
Andrew Bachman, CEO of Creators, Inc, added: “I just thought it was a genius concept. I thought, ‘Screw it, it’s good for a viral moment.
He added: “Kanye West has made antisemitic marks, so taking someone who looks identical to Kanye West and making that statement is powerful and thought provoking.”
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In a statement on Instagram about the show, organisers added: “Last night at Fashion Week, our statement was loud and clear - #JewishLivesMatter. We stand for unity and equality. Our show was a testament to creativity and diversity.”
