Grant Kirkhope, the composer behind many classic games including Donkey Kong 64, has explained why he wasn’t credited in The Super Mario Bros. Movie for the use of the infamous DK Rap.
In an interview with Eurogamer, Kirkhope said he spoke with Nintendo after the film’s release, and the company had made the decision to not credit any music it owns, which includes the DK Rap.
“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,” said Kirkhope. “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.
“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,” explained Kirkhope.
In 2023, Kirkhope expressed frustration over his name not appearing in the credits of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, posting: “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”
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
— Grant Kirkhope (@grantkirkhope) April 5, 2023
While Bowser’s Fury, another Nintendo-owned song in the film, was also not credited, licensed tracks were given credits for their composers and performers.
Kirkhope went on, telling Eurogamer the sampling of the DK Rap was “bizarre,” like they “just plugged in the N64 and sampled it and looped it.” Kirkhope played guitar on the track, while the “lads from Rare” did the “D-K” part, and all were uncredited.
Eurogamer asked if, because Nintendo owns the right to the DK Rap, it could make its way to the Nintendo Music App. The outlet got an interesting answer.
“I wonder,” said Kirkhope. “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.”
As Eurogamer noted, Donkey Kong 64 is not included in the N64 Switch Online lineup, though the theme for Rambi does seem like it’s set to appear in Donkey Kong Bananza. Who knows?
You can check out more discussion with Kirkhope in the full interview over on Eurogamer, where the DK composer talked about the odds on a new Banjo Kazooie, Donkey Kong Bananza, and the sound of nostalgia.
As for Mario’s movie franchise, development is underway on a new Super Mario Bros. movie, which is planned to arrive in April 2026.
Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.
