DK Rap composer calls out Super Mario Bros Movie after spotting credits: ‘That’s depressing’

Grant Kirkhope composed the iconic song for the 1999 Nintendo game

“The DK Rap” composer Grant Kirkhope has hit out at The Super Mario Bros Movie for failing to credit him.

Kirkhope created “The DK Rap” for the 1999 Nintendo game Donkey Kong 64. Following its release, the track has gone on to become an iconic part of the famous game.

Prior to the release of The Super Mario Bros Movie on Wednesday (5 April), Seth Rogen – who voices Donkey Kong – revealed that the legendary tune would be included in the new film.

In response, Kirkhope expressed his excitement on Twitter, writing: “If you’d told me in ‘97, when I wrote the rap track in the history of rap tracks, that it would go on to be in a Mario Bros movie, I would’ve burst with excitement. Long live the DK Rap!”

After seeing the film, however, the composer’s excitement turned to disappointment when he realised that he had not been credited at all.

“Well, that’s f***ing depressing,” he tweeted on Wednesday (5 April) after attending a screening.

In a later tweet, Kirkhope explained: “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.”

As noticed by Eurogamer, other pieces of licensed music used in the film are fully credited to their composers and performers, including Koji Kondo.

Instead of listing Kirkhope as a composer, the credits for “DK Rap” simply read: “From Donkey Kong 64.”

Fans have rallied around Kirkhope. One person wrote: “Yeah Grant, I was looking out for your credit. Makes no sense that they attribute ‘the game’ as its writer. I’m sorry. It upset me too.”

The Independent has contacted a representative of Universal Pictures and Nintendo for comment.

Since the film’s release, it has received mostly negative reviews. In a two-star review for The Independent, film critic Clarisse Loughrey writes: “Chris Pratt displays all the vigour of a contractual obligation.”

Chris Pratt voices Mario alongside Rogen as Donkey Kong and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach.