The “DK Rap,” that undeniably catchy, if somewhat infamous, opening theme from Donkey Kong 64, is making a surprising return in the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 title, Donkey Kong Bananza. What makes this even more notable is that the rap’s original composer, industry veteran Grant Kirkhope, wasn’t aware of its inclusion until it was revealed to the public.
Kirkhope, also known for his work on games like Banjo-Kazooie and the GoldenEye pause music, expressed his surprise after fans spotted the familiar “D K, Donkey Kong” refrain in footage released by Nintendo detailing the new “gorilla platformer,” which is set for release next month.
Reacting to the news, Kirkhope humorously tweeted and commented to Eurogamer, calling the track “the worst rap track in the history of rap tracks” that “seems to be back again!” He reflected on the song’s divisive reception when Donkey Kong 64 first launched about 25 years ago. At the time, he felt “nobody seemed to get the joke except me,” speculating that perhaps “little kids got the joke but the cool teenagers didn’t.” Now, with the rap having achieved a degree of cult popularity, he finds its current embrace “so bizarre.”
The Ongoing Crediting Conversation
This situation also shines a light on the long-standing issue of crediting original composers for their work, particularly when used in subsequent projects by copyright holders. Kirkhope previously spoke about the “DK Rap”‘s inclusion in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, where he ultimately did not receive a specific composer credit in the film’s lengthy list of acknowledgments, despite the song having a vocal track.
He recounted discussions with Nintendo regarding their crediting policies for the movie, which seemed to shift during production. Initially, music “quoted from the games that we owned” wouldn’t credit composers (except Koji Kondo). This changed to crediting vocal tracks, which would include the “DK Rap,” before finally reverting to a policy where if Nintendo “also own[s] it,” composers wouldn’t be credited. Kirkhope described this final decision as “the final nail in the coffin” for his movie credit, expressing frustration that for the sake of “a couple of lines of text” at the end of the credits, he wasn’t recognized in a meaningful way, even if only his family might notice. The movie credits reportedly only mentioned the song being “from Donkey Kong 64.”
Looking Ahead to Donkey Kong Bananza
Given this precedent where Nintendo owns the “DK Rap” score and chose not to credit Kirkhope for its use in the major film adaptation, it appears unlikely he will be credited for its inclusion in Donkey Kong Bananza.
The upcoming game is highlighted as having a significant musical theme, featuring unique Donkey Kong transformations tied to music and including an in-game music player where fans can enjoy tracks from the game. The “DK Rap” is presumed to be one of the tunes available. Interestingly, reports also suggest that a new arrangement of “Rambi’s theme,” another classic track from Donkey Kong 64 composed by Kirkhope, may also feature in the game, further hinting at a deeper dive into the classic DK musical library.
For Grant Kirkhope, the “DK Rap,” despite its polarizing history, remains an enduring part of his legacy. He humorously suggested his epitaph might simply read, “Here lies the body of Grant Kirkhope, he wrote the DK Rap and the Goldeneye Pause Music,” acknowledging these two iconic tracks are what many will remember him for. While the return of the rap is a fun nod for fans, it also reignites discussions about acknowledging the original creators behind these beloved pieces of gaming history.
