Grant Kirkhope, the renowned composer behind classics like Donkey Kong 64, recently shed light on why he wasn't credited for the DK Rap in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. In an interview with Eurogamer, Kirkhope revealed that Nintendo decided not to credit composers for any music it owns, with the exception of Koji Kondo. He explained, "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. 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 roll, the theater is usually empty, and only his family remained to see his name. He voiced his frustration on social media in 2023, 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."
The DK Rap, which Kirkhope contributed to by playing the guitar, alongside the "lads from Rare" who did the "D-K" part, was sampled in a way Kirkhope described as "bizarre," suggesting it was directly taken from the N64 game and looped. Despite this, none of the contributors were credited, unlike the licensed tracks in the film which acknowledged their composers and performers.
When asked about the possibility of the DK Rap being added to the Nintendo Music App, Kirkhope was uncertain but mentioned that Nintendo owns the rights to the music. He also shared a rumor from his time at Rare that Nintendo was not particularly fond of Donkey Kong 64, though he was unsure of its validity.
Interestingly, while Donkey Kong 64 is not part of the N64 Switch Online lineup, elements like the Rambi theme seem poised to 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.
Looking ahead, fans of Mario can anticipate a new Super Mario Bros. movie set to release in April 2026.
