‘We Kind Of Grew Up Together’: Toya And Reginae Talk Being Best Friends, Family Drama, And Their New Reality Show

Toya Johnson-Rushing and daughter Reginae Carter are back on TV. This time around though, the spotlight is on them. They’re front and center, but so is their family, including Toya’s mother, siblings, husband Red and youngest daughter Reign. The mother-daughter duo are feeling good about the new series, Toya & Reginae, now airing on weTV, and the different side of them that they say people will see. But they admit that with family, there’s always going to be a little bit of drama.

“It’s a different level of emotions and family drama,” Johnson-Rushing says. “You have the good stuff, you have the not-so-pretty stuff. But I just feel the most important thing is to show the viewer that outside of all the things they see us post on Instagram…you get to see that we’re just human. We’re just like y’all.”

Something Carter is looking forward to viewers seeing is a more mature version of herself. She knows that people have seen her as the maybe “spoiled” daughter of Lil Wayne forever and have misconceptions about her, but she says they’ll see something new this time around.

“I’m excited about the new me. I feel like I’m still learning and still growing each and every day,” she says. “The world did see me so young so I want them to understand, I am human. And also just because my dad is Lil Wayne, I do have to work for everything I want. It’s just not given to me or handed to me. I feel like I’ve got to work harder because of the steps I have to take outside of my parents and being my own person.”

Something else viewers can expect is an inside look at mother and daughter’s relationship, which they say is tighter than it’s ever been now that they’re both adults.

“I did have Reginae at an extremely young age. We kind of grew up together. But one thing I will say is I’ve always kept it separate. I have never been her friend growing up. I’ve always been her mother,” Johnson-Rushing says. “As Reginae grew up and started to mature and go through different things in life, we started to get closer and closer.”

“Let her tell it, I’m her best friend,” Johson-Rushing adds, laughing. “She’s like, ‘My mom is my best friend!’ I love it. I want my daughter to come to me about everything and talk to me about everything. Because you do have a village within me and my friends and my family. You don’t always have to run to social media or to other people for validation or to express yourself. I’m here for you always. And I’m glad our relationship is flourishing and getting closer than ever.”

So while Carter is known for being her dad’s biggest fan, she says she rides for her best friend, her mom, the same way. And it seems plenty of people have a similar affection for her bestie.

“More people come up to me and tell me they love my mom,” Carter shares. “It’s how she moves and how she carries herself. My mother is so independent but she’s soft too. She just exudes radiance. Even when she makes me mad I can’t be mad at her for too long. She teaches me a lot and I don’t know what I would do without her. That’s my rock. She’s just my best friend and I don’t care, I’m hers too [laughs].”

You can check out their conversation with ESSENCE in full above. Also, be sure to watch Toya & Reginae on Thursdays on WE tv at 9 p.m. EST.