Gentleman, you released the 'Diversity' album in three different versions. What was the idea behind that?
Gentleman:
"Reggae music is the most versatile music I know, and over the past few years I've dropped my either/or thinking about what an album should be. I used to think an album had to be either roots reggae or dancehall, either electronic or acoustic. This time around, I went to Jamaica and started playing and recording music without asking questions. After a while, I ended with quite a number of songs, songs that often sounded quite different from one another, ranging from dancehall over r&b to roots reggae. That's what inspired the title of the album really, and from a lyrical perspective 'Diversity' is about both the chance and the danger the diversity between men can represent. I decided to package the album in three different ways because I'm still from a generation that sees music as a physical thing. When I buy an album, I like something to grab. These days it's all about files and megabytes. Maybe we're writing the last chapter of the album in its current form, but while the opportunity is still there, I like to make the most of it."

For your previous album, 'Another Intensity', you were criticized for supposedly having become too soft. With the variation of flavours and riddims on ‘Diversity', you kind of served these critics with an answer.
Gentleman:
"I don't know if that was what inspired me. The bad criticism that 'Another Intensity' got really touched me, but for 'Diversity' it was above all the feeling of wanting to create something different that inspired me. 'Another Intensity' was a very laidback meditative album and with 'Diversity', I wanted to create an album you can bounce to in the clubs. I'm just a vessel you know, most of the times these things are not even my decision! (laughs)"

'It No Pretty' was accompanied by a rather grim but gripping video clip (The clip denounces gratuitous violence and shows Gentleman getting beaten up in a parking garage, red.). Did you already have that video in mind when you wrote the track?
Gentleman:
"No, after we recorded the song, I sent it out to different video producers and the idea of Zoran (Bihac, red.) really touched me. He was the one who also shot my first video clip, 'Tabula Rasa', and it was a blessing to work with him again. He's very radical and political and when you watch the finished clip, you really ask yourself: "Bomboclaat, what is wrong with us?". The whole thing really fit."

Even though the messages of the tracks on ‘Diversity' are still as positive as ever, I felt the album had a darker feeling than your previous ones.
Gentleman:
"It does! I'm not the positive-thinking artist everyone thinks I am. Sure, I have a positive outlook on life; I still believe life is a precious gift, but at the same time I don't believe in this pretty picture of a wonderful world anymore. We have to treasure the positive moments we encounter in life and from them we can draw the energy to carry on. Back in the day, I used to believe in black and white, but I've come to realise that often there are grey zones as well. Things are getting more complicated all the time. I'm definitely no psychologist, but I try to express my feeling through my music."

Let's end the interview on a lighter note. Once every four years the world goes crazy over a game involving a ball. I'm of course talking about the World Cup Soccer. Are you a big soccer fanatic?
Gentleman:
"(laughs) Yeah man, I definitely am! I love how the Germans are playing in this tournament. In their first game (Germany - Australia, red.) they played very creative and offensive. Before that game I wasn't really into the German football, because in my opinion they always played very boring defensive games, but that game really wowed me. It's a very international team also; you have Mesut Özil who's from Turkey, you have Cacau (Claudemir Jerônimo Barreto, red.) who's Brazilian, Khedira (Sami, red.) who's Tunesian, and so on. I believe they're going to go very far in this tournament (Germany eventually finished in third position after playing against Uruguay, red.)!"

Does the fact that the tournament is held in Africa for the very first time make it extra special for you?
Gentleman:
"Every World Cup is special, but this was a long time coming. Finally it's Africa's turn, long overdue if you ask me! (laughs)"