DK Rap Composer Discusses Lack of Credit in Super Mario Bros. Movie

Grant Kirkhope, renowned for composing the iconic DK Rap in Donkey Kong 64, has shed light on why his name was omitted from the credits of The Super Mario Bros. Movie. In a conversation with Eurogamer, Kirkhope revealed that Nintendo chose not to credit composers for any music it owns, with the exception of Koji Kondo. This policy extended to the DK Rap, despite its vocal component initially seeming to warrant a credit.

Kirkhope recounted his discussion with Nintendo, expressing his disappointment: "They said we decided that any music that was quoted from the games that we owned, we wouldn't credit the composers - apart from Koji Kondo," he explained. "Then they decided anything with a vocal would get credited, so the DK Rap scores there. But then they decided if we also own it, we won't credit the composers. And that was the final nail in the coffin."

He further highlighted the futility of credits at the end of the movie, noting that by the time they rolled, the theater was empty except for his family: "I said I appreciate you've got your policies and all the rest of it, but by the time the credits roll in the movie to show the songs, the theatre's completely empty, everyone's gone, it's only me and my wife and my two kids sat there going 'look daddy's name!'. I said 'for the sake of a couple of lines of text…', but that was that."

Kirkhope's frustration was palpable in a 2023 social media post: "I was really looking forward to see my name in the credits for the DK Rap, but alas as expected it's not there ........ fml."

Interestingly, while other Nintendo-owned tracks like Bowser's Fury were also uncredited, licensed tracks in the film did receive proper credits for their composers and performers. Kirkhope described the sampling of the DK Rap in the movie as "bizarre," akin to simply "plugging in the N64 and sampling it and looping it." Despite his contributions on guitar and the vocal work by the "lads from Rare," none received recognition.

When asked about the potential inclusion of the DK Rap in the Nintendo Music App, Kirkhope expressed uncertainty, noting Nintendo's ownership and a rumored lack of fondness for Donkey Kong 64. He mentioned, "They have put some of [David Wise]'s stuff on it. They do own it all so it's up to them. I don't think they ever really liked [Donkey Kong 64] that much. That's a rumour we got back through the cycle of whispers from Nintendo when we were at Rare. I don't know if that's true or not."

Eurogamer also pointed out the absence of Donkey Kong 64 from the N64 Switch Online lineup, though the theme for Rambi might appear in the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza.

For further insights, the full interview with Kirkhope on Eurogamer delves into topics like the possibility of a new Banjo Kazooie, Donkey Kong Bananza, and the essence of nostalgic sound in gaming.

Meanwhile, the Mario cinematic universe continues to expand, with a new Super Mario Bros. movie set to hit theaters in April 2026.