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The Super Mario Bros. Movie is finally here, performing for you in your local theater. When word spread of the DK Rap being included in the film, the song’s composer Grant Kirkhope knew the words, so he was excited to join in too. He saw the film, put his hands together since he wanted to clap, but then quickly realized he didn’t receive credit for his monkey rap.
Kirkhope lamented his lack of credit via a post on Twitter, in which he called the decision “depressing” and that he was “really looking forward to see my name in the credits.” As one of the replies to Kirkhope’s tweet shows, the song itself is indeed credited, but Kirkhope’s name is nowhere to be found.
The song was revealed to be part of the feature film last week, when Seth Rogen called it “one of the worst rap songs of all time” in a video promoting the film. Kirkhope received that news very well, saying “If you’d told me in ’97, when I wrote the worst rap track in the history of rap tracks, that it would go on to be in a Mario Bros. movie I [sic] would’ve burst with excitement.”
The DK Rap first appeared as the intro theme for Donkey Kong 64, where it became a fan favorite. It has subsequently appeared in multiple games since then–most notably as stage music in multiple Super Smash Bros. games–and Kirkhope was credited as the original composer in every other use.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie is out now in theaters worldwide. GameSpot’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie review praised the film, saying it “never feels reverent of the Mario IP, but it’s also never disrespectful. It’s a spot that might not have worked if the film weren’t so well put together–fortunately for us, though, The Super Mario Bros., could end up being one of the best big-budget action flicks of the year.”
