Composer behind Donkey Kong 64’s DK Rap says Nintendo 'arbitrarily' didn’t inform or credit him

Veteran video game composer behind Nintendo 64 hits like GoldenEye 007, Banjo-Kazooie 1998, and Donkey Kong 64 in 1999, Grant Kirkhope, is still incensed over his uncredited contribution to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which he still hasn’t sat through the entire film nearly two years after its release.

Kirkhope crafted the infamous DK Rap opening track for Donkey Kong 64, which was performed by Rare designer George Andreas. It was originally intended as a tongue-in-cheek joke. However, it made its way to the big screen during Donkey Kong’s debut in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. 

In a candid interview with Push to Talk, he stated, “I tell you what, I still haven’t watched the movie yet. I’ve seen that bit with the rap. But I was so pissed, I haven't watched it.” In 2023, when the movie first came out, Kirk stated on X, “still haven’t seen the Mario movie …. can’t bring myself to watch it.”

At the time, Kirkhope went viral on social media for voicing his frustration, prompting him to use a recent professional connection with Nintendo, stemming from his arrangements of Banjo-Kazooie music for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2019, to get the answers he sought. His contact received a response from Nintendo’s legal team, which mentioned an “arbitrary” three-rule policy for credits.

According to the 'rules', composers of Nintendo-owned game music would not be acknowledged except for legendary Mario series composer Koji Kondo. Kirkhope further mentioned, “They said we decided that any music that was quoted from the games we owned, we wouldn’t credit the composers - apart from Koji Kondo.”

Similarly, Nintendo Switch 2's first-party title, Donkey Kong Bananza, also included DK Rap in the game’s record list, but renamed it to “Getaway.” Again, Kirkhope was surprised that he was not informed of DK Rap’s inclusion, and similar to the Super Mario Movie fiasco, he wasn’t credited for its inclusion in the Switch 2 game.

Of course, fans are siding with Kirkhope surrounding the whole DK Rap situation, with one user on X stating:

It’s kind of the same as how Nintendo disrespects Grant Kirkhope. His DK Rap is all over Bananza, and was in the movie, but they don’t credit him. Yes, the rights are owned by the companies, but they don’t have to go out of their way to be d****.