‘DK Rap’ composer Grant Kirkhope partnered with Substantial to make a weirdly good version of the song

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Very few people are likely thinking about the song “DK Rap” in 2024. If you need a refresher, it’s the simplistic and endearingly corny rap song from Donkey Kong 64 (1999), written by legendary video game composer Grant Kirkhope, who you probably know better as the guy behind the iconic Goldeneye pause music (among other things). The 1999 version of the song, which was performed by George Andreas and Chris Sutherland, featured a classic AABB rhyme scheme with questionable scansion and slant rhymes (“well” and “tail,” “tune” and “you” — you get it). I’ve been fascinated by this song ever since I first heard it — mostly by the so-bad-it’s-good nature of the song, mind you — and apparently, its composer never stopped thinking about it either. Because now, it’s back and better than ever.

In a post on Bluesky today, Kirkhope shared a brand-new version of the rap featuring the rapper Substantial. It’s got new lyrics and some very fun wah-wah pedal guitar work in the backing track. I can’t emphasize enough how weirdly good this new version of the song is. The new lyrics obviously help a lot, but the backing track also owns. I never expected this to happen. And I’m pretty pumped about it.

This is a shockingly good redemption arc for a song that was, in the words of Kirkhope, “the worst rap track in the history of rap tracks.” It’s also nice to see Kirkhope getting to experience some personal hype for his (now much-improved) song, since the 2023 animated Mario movie used it and didn’t even credit him.