Grant Kirkhope, the renowned composer behind classics like Donkey Kong 64, recently shared insights into why he was not credited for the use of the DK Rap in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. In a candid interview with Eurogamer, Kirkhope revealed that Nintendo had a specific policy regarding music credits for the film.
According to Kirkhope, Nintendo decided not to credit composers for any music it owns, with the exception of Koji Kondo. However, they initially planned to credit songs with vocals, which would have included the DK Rap. This policy was later revised to exclude credits for any music owned by Nintendo, regardless of vocals, resulting in Kirkhope's omission from the credits.
Kirkhope expressed his disappointment, noting the fleeting nature of movie credits. He mentioned that by the time the credits rolled, the theater was nearly empty, leaving only his family to witness the absence of his name. He lamented, "I said 'for the sake of a couple of lines of text…', but that was that."
In a 2023 social media post, Kirkhope shared his frustration, stating, "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 the DK Rap and another Nintendo-owned song, Bowser's Fury, went uncredited, licensed tracks in the film did receive proper credits for their composers and performers. Kirkhope described the sampling of the DK Rap in the movie as "bizarre," likening it to a direct sample from the N64 game.
When asked about the possibility of the DK Rap being added to the Nintendo Music App, Kirkhope was uncertain but mentioned that other compositions by David Wise had been included. He also hinted at a rumored lack of enthusiasm from Nintendo towards Donkey Kong 64, which might explain its absence from the N64 Switch Online lineup.
For fans interested in more from Kirkhope, the full Eurogamer interview delves into topics like the potential for a new Banjo Kazooie game, Donkey Kong Bananza, and the role of nostalgia in gaming music.
Meanwhile, the Mario movie franchise continues to expand, with a new Super Mario Bros. movie set to release in April 2026.
