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

Grant Kirkhope, the acclaimed composer behind iconic video game soundtracks such as *Donkey Kong 64*, recently shared insights into why he was not credited in *The Super Mario Bros. Movie* for his work on the infamous DK Rap.

In a recent interview with Eurogamer, Kirkhope revealed that he reached out to Nintendo following the movie’s release and learned that the company made a deliberate decision not to credit composers for music it owns—including the DK Rap—except for Koji Kondo, the legendary composer behind many of Nintendo's most famous themes.

"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 disappointment over the situation, especially during a personal moment watching the film in theaters with his family. He noted that by the time the credits rolled, the theater was nearly empty, leaving him and his family among the few still seated.

"I said 'for the sake of a couple of lines of text…', but that was that," Kirkhope added.

Back in 2023, Kirkhope took to social media to voice his frustration after noticing his name missing from the credits:

> 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

Interestingly, while other Nintendo-owned tracks like *Bowser's Fury* were also left uncredited, licensed music in the film did include proper composer and performer credits.

Kirkhope also commented on how the DK Rap was used in the movie, calling the sampling process “bizarre,” suggesting it was done by simply hooking up an N64, sampling the track, and looping it. He played guitar on the original version, with the “lads from Rare” handling the “D-K” vocals—none of which were acknowledged in the film.

When asked whether the DK Rap might one day appear on the Nintendo Music App, Kirkhope offered a thoughtful response:

"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 rumor 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."

Notably, *Donkey Kong 64* is not part of the Nintendo Switch Online N64 library, though elements of its soundtrack may soon surface in *Donkey Kong Bananza*. Whether that includes Kirkhope’s memorable compositions remains to be seen.

For more details on this topic and a deeper dive into Kirkhope’s thoughts on nostalgia, *Banjo Kazooie*, and the future of *Donkey Kong*, you can read the full interview over at Eurogamer.

Meanwhile, fans of the *Super Mario Bros.* cinematic universe have something new to look forward to, as development is currently underway on a sequel slated for release in April 2026.