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

Grant Kirkhope, the renowned composer behind classics like Donkey Kong 64, recently shed light on why he was not credited in The Super Mario Bros. Movie for the use of the DK Rap. In a candid interview with Eurogamer, Kirkhope revealed that Nintendo decided not to credit any music it owns, including the DK Rap, in the film's credits.

"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," Kirkhope explained. He further noted that while initially, any music with vocals would be credited, Nintendo later decided against crediting composers for music they own, effectively excluding the DK Rap from the credits.

Kirkhope expressed his disappointment, stating that by the time the credits rolled, the theater was empty except for him and his family, who were eagerly awaiting to see his name. "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," he recounted.

In 2023, Kirkhope voiced his frustration on social media, saying, "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." This sentiment was echoed in the film's treatment of other Nintendo-owned songs, like Bowser's Fury, which also went uncredited, while licensed tracks received proper recognition.

Kirkhope described the sampling of the DK Rap in the movie as "bizarre," likening it to simply plugging in an N64 and looping the track. He highlighted his own contribution to the song, having played guitar, and the uncredited "lads from Rare" who performed the iconic "D-K" part.

When asked about the possibility of the DK Rap being added to the Nintendo Music App, Kirkhope expressed uncertainty, noting, "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."

Interestingly, while Donkey Kong 64 is not part of the N64 Switch Online lineup, elements like the Rambi theme may appear in Donkey Kong Bananza. For more insights from Kirkhope, including discussions on potential new projects like Banjo Kazooie and Donkey Kong Bananza, you can read the full interview on Eurogamer.

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