Lil Wayne’s Daughter Reginae Jokes He Was Still ‘in Diapers’ When He Became a Dad at 16

Reginae Carter opens up about navigating the modern dating world, her famous father’s laid-back parenting style, and the lessons she’s learned from her young parents.

Reginae Carter, the 25-year-old daughter of rapper Lil Wayne, recently shared her thoughts on relationships and the unique experience of being raised by such young parents. Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE, Carter discussed everything from her dating life to her partnership with the dating app BLK. The rapper’s daughter, who was thrust into the public eye early in life, has her own distinct perspective on love, dating, and the lessons she’s learned from her father.

Lil Wayne, who became a father at just 16, has always had a special relationship with his daughter. Reginae describes him as “laid-back” and jokes about the challenge of bringing potential boyfriends home to meet the legendary rapper. “My dad is so laid-back. We’re best friends, so if I bring you to my father, he’s going to be cool because he knows that if I’m bringing you, it’s cool people,” Reginae explains. “He’s not the type of dad that be acting all strict and mean, trying to scare the guys. He’s never been that type, but he’s still intimidating at the same time.”

While Lil Wayne doesn’t put on the traditional “scary dad” act, the respect he commands is undeniable. Reginae notes that the intimidation factor still exists when her suitors realize who her father is. “They still got so much respect for him, and he still has that little talk about, ‘Don’t play with my daughter,’ but I feel he should scare them more! I’m like, ‘You need to scare them!’ but he is still intimidating.”

Now 41, Lil Wayne became a father when he was just a teenager. He married Reginae’s mother, his high school sweetheart Toya Johnson, in 2004, though they divorced two years later. Growing up with such young parents had a profound impact on how Reginae views relationships and parenthood.

“My parents were in diapers when they had me,” Reginae jokes, before turning reflective. “They were really young. Growing up, I’ve always had this thing where it’s like, I’m not getting pregnant yet.” She admits that witnessing her parents’ early parenthood made her more cautious about starting her own family. “So I feel like dating for me [now] and looking at my parents? I’m a little scared.”

That fear, she says, stems from trust issues she’s developed with men over the years. However, both her mother and father have always provided her with solid advice when it comes to dating and relationships. “I do love that my mom and my dad have always told me to keep my head on my shoulders, and they’ve always steered me right,” she says. “I always got a lesson from one of my parents: ‘Hey, this is not what you need today, this is not what you need to go for, this man, if he’s doing this, that’s not it.’”

Though she’s grown up in the spotlight, Reginae remains focused on finding love in her own way. Thanks to her partnership with BLK, she’s now putting herself out there in the world of online dating. For Reginae, it’s a chance to embrace the modern dating landscape while keeping her parents’ wisdom close at heart.

With her father’s unique blend of coolness and subtle intimidation, and her mother’s constant guidance, Reginae is determined to carve out her own path in both love and life.