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

Renowned composer Grant Kirkhope, famous for his work on iconic games such as Donkey Kong 64, recently shed light on why his contributions to the The Super Mario Bros. Movie went uncredited, particularly regarding the DK Rap. In an interview with Eurogamer, Kirkhope recounted his conversation with Nintendo following the film's release. He learned that Nintendo had chosen not to credit any composers for music originating from games they own, with the exception of Koji Kondo.

“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.”

Despite his disappointment, Kirkhope acknowledged Nintendo’s policies but couldn’t help feeling disheartened when the credits rolled, leaving him and his family alone in the theater to spot his name missing. In a frustrated tweet in 2023, he lamented: “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.”

Interestingly, while Bowser's Fury, another Nintendo-owned track in the film, also went uncredited, licensed tracks received proper acknowledgment for their composers and performers. Kirkhope described the inclusion of the DK Rap as "bizarre," noting that it seemed like the filmmakers simply sampled the original track directly from the N64 without crediting the musicians involved, including himself on guitar.

When asked whether the DK Rap could potentially appear on Nintendo's Music App, Kirkhope expressed uncertainty, highlighting that Nintendo owns all rights to the music. He mentioned rumors circulating within Rare about Nintendo's lukewarm reception toward Donkey Kong 64, though he couldn’t confirm its validity.

Additionally, Eurogamer pointed out that Donkey Kong 64 is absent from the N64 lineup on Nintendo Switch Online, although the Rambi theme is expected to feature in Donkey Kong Bananza. As for future projects, development continues on a new Super Mario Bros. animated film, slated for release in April 2026.

To read more about Kirkhope's thoughts on potential sequels, nostalgia, and upcoming projects, check out the full interview on Eurogamer.