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

Grant Kirkhope, the renowned composer behind classics like Donkey Kong 64, has shed light on why he wasn't credited for the use of the DK Rap in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. In a conversation with Eurogamer, Kirkhope revealed that Nintendo chose 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. "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."

Kirkhope expressed his disappointment, noting that by the time the credits rolled, the theater was empty except for him and 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," he shared.

In 2023, Kirkhope voiced his frustration on social media, stating, "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."

While other Nintendo-owned songs like Bowser's Fury also went uncredited, licensed tracks in the movie did receive proper acknowledgment for their composers and performers. Kirkhope described the sampling of the DK Rap in the film as "bizarre," likening it to simply "plugging in the N64 and sampling it and looping it." Despite his contributions on guitar and the vocal parts performed by "the lads from Rare," none were credited.

When asked about the potential inclusion of the DK Rap on the Nintendo Music App, Kirkhope responded, "I wonder. 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, Donkey Kong 64 is absent from the N64 Switch Online lineup, though the Rambi theme might feature in the upcoming Donkey Kong Bananza. For more insights, you can read the full interview on Eurogamer, where Kirkhope also discusses the possibility of a new Banjo Kazooie, Donkey Kong Bananza, and the role of nostalgia in gaming music.

Meanwhile, a new Super Mario Bros. movie is in development and slated for release in April 2026.