Grant Kirkhope, the renowned composer known for his work on games like Donkey Kong 64, has shed light on why he was not credited in The Super Mario Bros. Movie for the use of the DK Rap. In a conversation with Eurogamer, Kirkhope revealed that Nintendo decided not to credit any music it owns, which includes the DK Rap, with the exception of music by 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."

Kirkhope expressed his disappointment, noting that by the time the credits roll in the movie, the theater is usually empty, and only his family remains to see his name. "I said I appreciate you've got your policies and all the rest of it, but by the time the credits roll in the movie to show the songs, the theatre's completely empty, everyone's gone, it's only me and my wife and my two kids sat there going 'look daddy's name!'. I said 'for the sake of a couple of lines of text…', but that was that," he said.

In 2023, Kirkhope voiced his frustration on social media, tweeting, "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."

While other Nintendo-owned songs like Bowser's Fury were also 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 simply plugging in an N64 and looping the track. He played guitar on the original DK Rap, while the "lads from Rare" performed the "D-K" part, yet none were credited.

Regarding the potential inclusion of the DK Rap in the Nintendo Music App, Kirkhope expressed uncertainty but noted that Nintendo owns all the rights. He mentioned a rumor from his time at Rare that Nintendo was not particularly fond of Donkey Kong 64, which might explain its absence from the N64 Switch Online lineup. However, the theme for Rambi from Donkey Kong 64 appears set to feature in Donkey Kong Bananza.

For more insights from Kirkhope, including discussions on a possible new Banjo Kazooie game, Donkey Kong Bananza, and the essence of nostalgic sound, check out the full interview on Eurogamer.

Meanwhile, development continues on a new Super Mario Bros. movie, slated for release in April 2026.