DK Rap Composer Explains Why He Wasn't Credited in The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Grant Kirkhope, the composer down galore classical games including Donkey Kong 64, has explained wherefore helium wasn't credited successful The Super Mario Bros. Movie for the usage of the infamous DK Rap.

In an interrogation with Eurogamer, Kirkhope said helium spoke with Nintendo aft the film's release, and the institution had made the determination to not recognition immoderate euphony it owns, which includes the DK Rap.

"They said we decided that immoderate euphony that was quoted from the games that we owned, we wouldn't recognition the composers - isolated from Koji Kondo," said Kirkhope. "Then they decided thing with a vocal would get credited, truthful the DK Rap scores there. But past they decided if we besides ain it, we won't recognition the composers. And that was the last nail successful the coffin.

"I said I admit you've got your policies and each the remainder of it, but by the clip the credits rotation successful the movie to amusement the songs, the theatre's wholly empty, everyone's gone, it's lone maine and my woman and my 2 kids sat determination going 'look daddy's name!'. I said 'for the involvement of a mates of lines of text…', but that was that," explained Kirkhope.

In 2023, Kirkhope expressed vexation implicit his sanction not appearing successful the credits of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, posting: "I was truly looking guardant to spot my sanction successful the credits for the DK Rap, but alas arsenic expected it's not determination ........ fml"

I was truly looking guardant to spot my sanction successful the credits for the DK Rap, but alas arsenic expected it's not determination ........ fml

While Bowser's Fury, different Nintendo-owned opus successful the film, was besides not credited, licensed tracks were fixed credits for their composers and performers.

Kirkhope went on, telling Eurogamer the sampling of the DK Rap was "bizarre," similar they "just plugged successful the N64 and sampled it and looped it." Kirkhope played guitar connected the track, portion the "lads from Rare" did the "D-K" part, and each were uncredited.

Eurogamer asked if, due to the fact that Nintendo owns the close to the DK Rap, it could marque its mode to the Nintendo Music App. The outlet got an absorbing answer.

"I wonder," said Kirkhope. "They person enactment immoderate of [David Wise]'s worldly connected it. They bash ain it each truthful it's up to them. I don't deliberation they ever truly liked [Donkey Kong 64] that much. That's a rumour we got backmost done the rhythm of whispers from Nintendo erstwhile we were astatine Rare. I don't cognize if that's existent oregon not."

As Eurogamer noted, Donkey Kong 64 is not included successful the N64 Switch Online lineup, though the taxable for Rambi does look similar it's acceptable to look successful Donkey Kong Bananza. Who knows?

You tin cheque retired much treatment with Kirkhope successful the afloat interrogation implicit connected Eurogamer, wherever the DK composer talked astir the likelihood connected a caller Banjo Kazooie, Donkey Kong Bananza, and the dependable of nostalgia.

As for Mario's movie franchise, improvement is underway connected a caller Super Mario Bros. movie, which is planned to get successful April 2026.

Eric is simply a freelance writer for IGN.