Wyclef Jean ‘an MC first’ on mixtape

Wyclef Jean believes it is paramount to end his musical hiatus with a mixtape before his album is released.

The Fugees rapper and producer released his seventh record From the Hut, to the Projects, to the Mansion in 2009.

Although Wyclef created a new album named Refugee Republic, he is releasing his mixtape April Showers before his EP.

Apparently this strategy shows fans that he is still an authentic musician.

"It was important to start off with a mixtape because if a kid sees me who's about 15 or 16 [years old], he'll be like, 'Oh that's the guy who ran for president,' or 'That's the guy who sings Hips Don't Lie with Shakira,' " Wyclef told MTV News.

"It was important that they know that I'm an MC first. A lot of kids will get a chance to discover why I was called the '80 bars king.' "

Wyclef worked with a number of newer artists including Waka Flocka Flame and 2 Chainz.

He is excited about the genres he bended in songs like Trap N Roll, which features Waka.

"Waka's voice just sounds like when I listen to a Metallica record. He has that chain of command, so I had an idea," Wyclef explained.

"[I wondered] what would happen if we took trap music and put it against rock music, so it would be my guitar against trap — what would that sound like? If we took all of that, melted it together and then we put the two W's together ... what kinda fusion, scientifically, would happen?

"It's the first of its kind, and it's crazy. We did a few records, but this right here is gonna just have people saying, 'OK, this is a whole 'nother combination.' "

April Showers will be released before Refugee Republic hits shelves in September.