Imani Showalter is a model, actor, and reality TV star. She is most known for her involvement on the VH1 reality show “Basketball Wives LA” as former NBA star Stephen Jackson’s ex-girlfriend.
Showalter has also posed for a number of companies and starred in movies such as “Chocolate City” and “Perfect Match.”
Imani Showalter was a member of a girl group from New York. So, what has she been doing since her divorce from Stephen Jackson?
Imani Showalter’s profile summary
| Full Name: | Melissa Imani Showalter |
| Gender: | Female |
| Date of Birth: | February 11, 1983 |
| Zodiac Sign: | Taurus |
| Current Residence: | Hoschton, Georgia, United States |
| Age: | 40 (as of 2023) |
| Nationality: | American |
| Ethnicity: | African-American |
| Religion: | Christianity |
| Hair Colour: | Black |
| Eye Colour: | Brown |
| Height in Feet: | 5′ 6″ |
| Height in Centimetres: | 167 |
| Marital Status: | Single |
| Parents: | Georgia Showalter (mother) |
| Children: | 3 (including Stephen and Taylor Jackson) |
| Profession: | Singer, former reality TV star |
| Net Worth: | Approx. $2 million |
| Instagram: | @iammelissaiman |
| YouTube: | Melissa Imani |
Early life
Melissa Imani Showalter, Imani Showalter’s full name, was born on February 11, 1983, making her 40 years old in 2023. She is an African-American woman from the United States.
Imani prefers to keep her personal life private, despite her public demeanor. Little is known about her family, including her parents and siblings, though in an Instagram post, she praised her mother, Georgia Showalter, for being a terrific parent.
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Imani has not revealed anything about her childhood or upbringing, nor has she revealed anything about her educational background, including high school or college attendance.
Career
Imani Showalter’s career began to gain momentum after she appeared in the first season of Basketball Wives, a reality TV show.
During the show, she was involved in several arguments with other cast members, particularly after criticizing Draya Michelle’s parenting. Before her appearance on the show, little was known about Imani’s professional life.
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There have been rumors that she previously worked as an executive assistant. In addition to being a singer, Imani also joined an all-girl music group while living in New York.
She mentioned in an Instagram post that their group had been signed by US record executive Shakir Stewart. However, neither the group nor Imani has released any music yet.
Despite the early promise in her career, Imani has since remained out of the spotlight as a stay-at-home mom. She has not been involved in any significant public engagements since her appearance on Basketball Wives.
Dating History
Stephen Jackson proposed to Imani Showalter in 2004, after they had been dating for two years, and they intended to marry in 2005.
Jackson, on the other hand, called off the wedding, leaving Imani at the altar.
The reason for the failed wedding was disclosed in 2020, when Jackson stated in a live Instagram video that he refused to marry Imani because she refused to sign a prenuptial agreement they had previously agreed upon.
Imani responded to Jackson’s claims by sharing a letter he received from his attorneys two weeks before the wedding, requesting him to contact them to settle the terms of the prenuptial agreement.
She also released a signed copy of the prenuptial agreement, which contradicted Jackson’s assertions that she refused to sign it.
“I Didn’t Think A Woman Would Take Me To This Point Over A Piece Of Paper” Stephen Jackson Explains Why He Left Imani Showalter At The Altar
Jackson does a great job of explaining himself, so I’ll let the transcript and his video tell the story. He begins the story with a disclaimer.
“This is not to demean nobody. This is free game. I love everybody Black, women included. Let’s get that clear. Cuz a lot of y’all ignorant. This is for women and men but I really want my young ___ to listen to this and take the right advice from this.
The moral of this story is, find you one woman, love her through the good and bad and build with her. Because I’m tellin you, if you think having a whole bunch of hoes and having multiple kids by more than one woman is something to brag about, it will ruin your life. Thank God it didn’t ruin mine but it will add a lot of stress to your life.”
After meeting in New York, Jackson revealed that he and Imani Showalter dated for a year or two. He flagged her down while she was driving, and it was all over from there. She eventually relocated to San Antonio with him.
He won a championship there, but Jackson decided not to renew his contract because the organization didn’t think Showalter was a good influence on the other NBA spouses, and they didn’t like the way she dressed.
He stated that their relationship was strained in Atlanta, but they persevered. The couple eventually moved to Indiana together. He proposed while playing for the Indiana Pacers, although the couple intended to marry in Houston, Texas, Jackson’s hometown.
“We planned to get married in Houston. So, newsflash for all 530 of y’all here. In order for a prenup to get drawn up, both the husband the wife, the bride and the groom have to agree on the prenup before it can even get written up. I take care of a lot of people. I’m never letting one woman control of all the hard work I’ve done in my life. None of these muhf*ckas was in the gym with me. So I told myself whoever I’m married to, they signing a prenup off top. It’s not even a second guess.
So we get the prenup back at least 3-4 months before the wedding. This is all true y’all. I give it to her. When I give it to her, she shouldn’t be surprised by it because me and her sat down and agreed upon the prenup. We agreed. Listen to me y’all. We agreed on the prenup. A month passed, two months before the wedding, I’m like we need to get that prenup signed so when we get down there to Houston, we ain’t gotta worry about it. I tell her that like two or three times.
Now, it’s a month before the wedding and I’m like this is something we agreed on, I shouldn’t have to tell you to sign this prenup. This what I’m telling her. She’s like, ‘Ima sign it. Ima sign it. Ima sign it.’ During that time, we making arrangements for the wedding you still gotta plan shit. You know, I love her. And Ima keep it real with you, I was in love with her and we was building a family. So I was like cool, I ain’t gon make no big deal of it.”
Then Jackson spoke about a twist in the wedding planning. Being that he’s from Houston he had a pastor in mind to officiate the ceremony. His fiancée had other plans.
“She is adamant about this certain pastor. I’m like cool it’s her wedding. But this is a pastor, I’m talking about screaming at me and everything. ‘This pastor has to do it.’”
Jackson couldn’t understand why Showalter wouldn’t choose the man who had pastored him since he was a youngster over someone she’d never met but had been suggested by a friend. Jackson stated that he realized it was her day and that he was willing to let her have her way.
“I spent about $400,000 on the wedding, y’all. Pastor don’t matter to me. I just want to marry you. I don’t even give a damn. Now, we at two weeks before the wedding. Everything planned and ready to go. I’m like, ‘Look bruh why I got to keep asking you about this prenup. It ain’t like you don’t know what’s on it. What motives? This what I told her, what motives you on?! I ain’t on nothing, I just ain’t had time to sign it planning a wedding.”
When they get in Houston, they split up to party before the wedding. He was telling an elderly family friend, who was the former couple’s child’s nanny, that he was concerned that the prenuptial agreement had not been completed. Miss Doris, the nanny, warned him not to think like that. And that it would be completed. She stated that she would discuss it with her fiancée.
“ So, this the day of the wedding. Y’all ready for the good part. We wake up that morning, I’m getting dressed. All my groomsmen. In the back of mind, all I’m thinking about is this damn prenup…So where we’re staying at, it’s a big ballroom. We had to get on a private elevator and we go to a back room where we can just walk out to the wedding. Once we get to that room, that’s when I really turn up. And this is why Stephon Marbury and Mike Bibby are my brothers, like my real brothers. We in the back room and the preacher come in with his assistant and my nanny come in with a spooked look on her face. She pulls me to the side and she like, ‘She still ain’t signed it.’ So, I said, ‘I ain’t getting married then.’ Steph was like, ‘She ain’t sign the prenup, what we even here for?’
The preacher steps up, remember the preacher? He says ‘Hold on, now I know you love this girl. Don’t make a drastic decision. I think you should just let God handle it.’ I said, ‘Huh?’ He said, ‘As the pastor, I don’t believe in prenups.’ Now I know why she was fighting for you. You don’t believe in prenups. Damn what you believe in. I put everything in God’s hands and God is telling me to put the pen in her hand and make her sign this gotdamn prenup. That’s what God tellin me. So God tellin you and me two different things.”
Jackson said before all of this happened, when people were still traveling, his late grandmother told his mother, “It ain’t gon be no wedding.”
“By that time it had got rowdy in the bridesmaids room. Bobby Valentino was standing up there, ready to start singing. Ask Bobby Valentino. He was there. Bobby Valentino will tell you this whole story. Everybody getting antsy like ‘what the f*ck?!’ My grandma just sitting there like she already know what’s going on.’ My sister comes out and said, ‘I had to get out of there before I whoop one of them hoes because they in there talking crazy.’ Not in those exact words but she was upset with what was said in there.
This is when she showed her true colors. So wedding off. Wedding’s off. We not doing it. We getting undressed. When we first get back to the room, I break down crying. Honest to God truth, I was hurt. I wanted to marry her, bruh. I break down crying for like twenty-thirty minutes. I’m hard down crying. I didn’t think a woman would take me to this point over a piece of paper. And we got a child together. I was honestly hurt. I was in there hard down crying. And this is when I fell in love with Mike Bibby mama. I’m talking like snot everything. As a grown man, I ain’t never cried like that. Mike Bibby mom grab her bare hand, wipe the snot and everything from my face and picked my chin up and she said, ‘You became a man today.’
So with all that going on, this ain’t even the half. At that point somebody from her side say she want to talk to you. I said what she want to talk to me for? He said, ‘You was getting ready to marry her. Out of respect, talk to her. Everybody in the room was like f*ck that. I’m like, Aight I’ll go talk to her. I get in the room, she still in her wedding dress. Soon as I get in the room, she hard down crying. ‘I’ll sign it. I’ll sign it.’
Listen I was born at night but not last night. Anytime anybody signs anything where they’re crying, under any type of stress, that shit can get thrown out. I was already told that by my folks so I was already on game. So the sh*t she tried, thinking I was going to buckle so it could get thrown out. No sweetheart. You chose your decision. Claim under distress that’s what it’s called. Soon as we get to downstairs, Stephon Marbury was in the DJ booth. Guess what the first song they played. I’ll give y’all a second.”
You already know it was Kanye West’s “Golddigger.”
“That shit was classic my n*gga.”
…
“This the sickest part of the whole thing. After we had partied in the hotel, me and partners was getting ready to go out. Two of her main squeezes that was with her, was with us that night. And I’ma keep it funky, I downed one of ‘em. Ya feel me. But that’s her friends though. Yeah I did it. Shole did. If ima trick $300,000-$400,000 Ima get some get back. They couldn’t wait.”
It’s a truly amazing story. The money grab did not stop with the wedding. Jackson claimed that Showalter would create multiple bogus locations in different states in order to collect child support from him. She would soon join the cast of “Basketball Wives.”
Jackson didn’t mind her there, however, he was careful to point out that she was never a wife and that he wanted everyone to know that he was happily married and no longer wanted Showalter.
He married Renata Jackson four years later, in 2009. The two were going through a nasty divorce, which Jackson tried to downplay because he and Renata were still sleeping together. In 2015, the two finally achieved an agreement.
Is She Dating Anyone Now?
Imani Showalter kept a low profile after her divorce from Stephen Jackson until she appeared on Basketball Wives. She stated on the show that she had put the breakup behind her and was focusing on her own life.
Following that, rumors began to circulate about a possible relationship between her and gospel musician Marvin Sapp. Sapp, on the other hand, denied the reports, stating that they were simply friends.
Imani has maintained her seclusion since then, and there have been no new romantic ties, implying that she is currently unattached.
Children
Stephen Jackson and Imani Showalter have three children: a son named Stephen Jackson and a daughter named Taylor.
While nothing is known about their children, Imani routinely posts photos of them on Instagram.
There have been reports that Imani had children from past relationships before meeting Stephen Jackson, but this has yet to be substantiated.
Net worth and earnings
Imani Showalter’s net worth is estimated to be around $2 million, which is partially derived from her career as a former reality TV star. Additionally, she receives undisclosed amounts of child support.
FAQ About Imani Showalter
Where was Imani Showalter born?
Imani Showalter has not disclosed her place of birth. However, it is believed that she grew up in New York, where she met Stephen Jackson.
How old is she?
As of 2023, Imani Showalter is 40 years old, having been born on February 11, 1983.
Who is Imani Showalter’s husband?
Imani Showalter is not married. She was previously in a long-term relationship with former NBA player Stephen Jackson, but the two split up before their scheduled wedding.
What happened between Imani Showalter and Stephen Jackson?
Stephen Jackson reportedly called off their wedding at the last minute, leaving Imani at the altar. Jackson claimed it was because she refused to sign a prenuptial agreement, but Imani refuted these claims and even posted a signed copy of the prenup online.
Are Imani Showalter and Marvin Sapp dating?
There were rumours that Imani Showalter was dating gospel singer Marvin Sapp, but Sapp later clarified that they were just friends.
What does she do for a living?
After leaving the reality TV show Basketball Wives LA, Imani Showalter has been focused on raising her children.
What is Imani Showalter’s net worth?
Imani Showalter’s net worth is estimated to be around $2 million, which comes from her earnings as a television personality and undisclosed child support.
