DK Rap
- "Da Banana Bunch" redirects here. For the soundtrack album, seeDa Banana Bunch: The Original Donkey Kong 64 Soundtrack.
| "DK Rap" | |
|---|---|
 TheDK Crew at the start of the song | |
| Composed by: Grant Kirkhope George Andreas andChris Sutherland (English lyrics) | |
| Genre | Comedy hip-hop[1] |
| Key | E major |
| First appearance | Donkey Kong 64 (1999) |
| Latest appearance | Tetris 99 (48th Maximus Cup) (2025) |
The "DK Rap",[2] also known as "Da Banana Bunch",[3] is a song that plays upon every startup ofDonkey Kong 64. It serves as an introduction to the game's playable characters, establishing their defining traits and special moves. The lyrics were written byGrant Kirkhope, and the song was performed byGeorge Andreas andChris Sutherland, with various otherRare staff members joining in for the chorus.[4] Andreas took inspiration for the song from the groupRun-DMC.[5] Kirkhope stated his goal in creating the song was to juxtapose the style of the new game and setDonkey Kong 64 apart from the previous games in theDonkey Kong Country series. The song is heavily associated with theDonkey Kong franchise and with Rare in general.
The DK Rap is infamous for its "so bad it's good" nature, regarding its poor rapping and lyrics—an intentional stylistic choice on Kirkhope's part.[4][6] The song has been criticized by various video game publications and journalists since the release ofDonkey Kong 64. The line "HisCoconut Gun can fire in spurts. If he shoots ya, it's gonna hurt!" was once voted as the fourth worst line in a video game ever by the magazineElectronic Gaming Monthly in January 2002.[7] The DK Rap has met a resurgence in popularity and notoriety, especially asan Internet meme; Kirkhope described the phenomenon as bewildering, but he nonetheless expressed flattery with how "Twenty years later, everyone loves it. Everyone's finally got the joke".[6] On April 1, 2017, in promotion of the gameYooka-Laylee,Playtonic Games released a DK Rap-inspired song called the "Yooka-Laylee Rap".[8] In 2024, Kirkhope released a new arrangement of the DK Rap featuring new lyrics performed by rapperSubstantial.[9]
History
Donkey Kong 64
In the music video inDonkey Kong 64, the DK Rap begins withCranky Kong's hands mixing records on a turntable. The sequence then cuts to the five playableKongs in a group;Chunky Kong is wearing a 1970s-era disco outfit, only to rush offscreen and change into his regular outfit. Throughout the rap, each Kong is introduced in this order: Donkey Kong,Tiny,Lanky,Diddy, and Chunky. It explains each Kong's unique traits varying from their abilities, weapons, and instruments. Donkey Kong's verse primarily focuses on hisCoconut Shooter (referred to as a Coconut Gun) where he shoots down threeZingers. Tiny's verse focuses on herMini-Monkey andPony Tail Twirl abilities, the former of which is shown by Tiny shrinking herself to beat up aKlaptrap. It shows Tiny climbing thick palm trees, which is possible only as Chunky with hisHunky Chunky ability. Lanky's verse describes hisOrangStand andBaboon Balloon abilities. During the OrangStand scene, Lanky accidentally crashes himself offscreen. Diddy's verse describes his ability to use theRocketbarrel Boost with theJetbarrel. At one point, variousTNT Bombers approach Diddy, only for him to throw an explosiveorange at them. Lastly, Chunky's verse describes his great strength, which is shown by him scaring aKlump by enlarging himself (in reference to the Hunky Chunky ability) and being able to pick upboulders. It also describes his clumsy and slow behavior by showing him accidentally throwing a boulder onto himself and moving slowly and not being able tojump high enough to collect aGolden Banana. Once he jumps high enough, he misses the Golden Banana and lands on the floor, for which severalbananas cover the screen. In each of the Kong's verses, a different instrument can be heard: Donkey Kong's is a muted trumpet, Tiny's is a saxophone, Lanky's is a trombone, Diddy's is an electric guitar, and Chunky's aretimpani.
Near the end of the song, Cranky starts to mix on his turntable, for which the bridge of the song plays, consisting of the various fruits and foods shot from each of the Kongs' weapons. An audience can be heard giving the five playable Kongs a standing ovation before a Klump throws an orange to the screen, ending the rap.
The DK Rap was included in the game's official soundtrack,Da Banana Bunch: The Original Donkey Kong 64 Soundtrack, where it is titled "Da Banana Bunch". A remix of the song was also included, titled "Da Banana Bunch (Vitamin B Remix)".
DK Rap Attack
- Main article:DK Rap Attack
The DK Rap Attack was a contest hosted on theofficialDonkey Kong 64 website, hosted byNintendo of America. It involved people submitting their own renditions and covers of the DK Rap.
Super Smash Bros. series
- SmashWiki article:Music (SSBM) § Kongo Jungle
A new version of the DK Rap was recorded forSuper Smash Bros. Melee. The cover was produced byHirokazu Ando and performed by James W. Norwood Jr., and it plays on theKongo Jungle stage. The third and fifth verses describing Tiny Kong and Diddy Kong are sung faster, and the word "hell" in Chunky Kong's verse is replaced by "heck". This is the first song in theSuper Smash Bros. series to have vocals, as well as the only one to have them inSuper Smash Bros. Melee.
This version of the DK Rap is also featured in subsequentSuper Smash Bros. games. It appears inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl as an unlockable song for the stageJungle Japes, unlocked if the player obtains aCD for it. It returns inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U as an unlockable song for the stageJungle Hijinxs, unlocked if the player gets a chain of 200 in Trophy Rush as Donkey Kong. InSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, the DK Rap is available from the start and can play on everyDonkey Kong–franchise stage. In bothSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate, the DK Rap contains only the verses for Donkey Kong, Tiny Kong, and Diddy Kong, cutting the length down to just under two minutes.
 Kongo Jungle - The arrangement heard inSuper Smash Bros. Melee | File info 0:30 |
Donkey Konga
| DK Rap | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game(s) | Donkey Konga | |||||||||
| Length | 1:53 | |||||||||
| BPM | 142 | |||||||||
| Cost | 6800 | |||||||||
| ||||||||||
TheSuper Smash Bros. Melee version of the DK Rap returns as a playable song inDonkey Konga. This game includes only Donkey Kong's, Tiny Kong's, and Lanky Kong's verses, omitting Diddy Kong's and Chunky Kong's.
The albumDonkey Konga: The Hottest Hits released in 2004 also features the song.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Though the "DK Rap" is not featured in-game inMario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, a brief arrangement of the song plays in theE3 2018 trailer for theDonkey Kong Adventure, whereRabbid Cranky plays the song on a turntable before being interrupted byRabbid Peach.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
InThe Super Mario Bros. Movie, Donkey Kong is introduced in theGreat Ring of Kong to the chorus portion of the DK Rap, which chants his name.
Prior to the film's release, a teaser for the film posted on social media confirmed the inclusion of the DK Rap in the film.[10] In the teaser, Donkey Kong's film voice actorSeth Rogen states that the song is "objectively one of the worst rap songs of all time". Songwriter Grant Kirkhope expressed joy on the X networking platform upon learning about the song's inclusion in the film,[11] but was later disappointed in seeing he was not credited as the original composer in the movie's credits.[12]
Donkey Kong Bananza
 | It has been requested that at least oneaudio and/or video file related to this section beuploaded.Specifics: The arrangement Please upload music, sound effects, voice clips, or any videos for this section. See thehelp page for help getting started. |
InDonkey Kong Bananza, an arrangement of the "DK Rap" plays as the default music atGetaways. It is likewise titled "Getaway" in the game'ssound test. The lyrics "DK! Donkey Kong! / DK! Donkey Kong is here!" is sampled from the original song, while the instrumentation is new.
Tetris 99
InTetris 99, "Getaway" fromDonkey Kong Bananza plays in the losing results screen while theDonkey Kong Bananza theme is in use.
Other appearances
The DK Rap is mentioned in theGame Boy Advance remake ofDonkey Kong Country 2, after Diddy completes theFunky's Flights missionCool Sounds. By returning Funky's boombox from the mission, he tells the Kongs that he can continue listening to the DK Rap all day.
Donkey Kong'scrowd cheer inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS,Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate references the song with the crowd cheering, "DK! Donkey Kong!" in the style of the song.
The song is also often referenced in Donkey Kong's blurbs across game-adjacent material. His description on theMario Party 10 website stated that "He's finally back to kick some tail", also pointing out his return to theMario Party series as a playable character. ThePrima guide forMario Kart 8 Deluxe directly opens Donkey Kong's bio by stating that he is the first member of the DK Crew.[13] Donkey Kong's website description forMario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 ("He's so strong, it isn't funny".) references Chunky Kong's verse in the song.[14]
InDonkey Kong Bananza, Cranky Kong sarcastically called Donkey Kong "the leader of the bunch" when scolding him for leaving the banana hoard unguarded to frolic inIngot Isle's mines.[15] InNew Donk City, aLanky billboard references the lyrics from his section of the DK Rap. At the start of theBunch of Boss Battles (×5) challenge,Dixie and Diddy Kong chant "D! K!" and "Donkey! Kong!" respectively, referencing the chorus of the song. In theDK Island & Emerald Rush DLC, the lyric "so strong, it isn't funny" is referenced in theevent title "So Strong It's Funny".
Yooka-Laylee Rap
To promote their then-upcoming video gameYooka-Laylee, a spiritual successor to classic Rare games such asBanjo-Kazooie andDonkey Kong 64, Playtonic Games posted the "Yooka-Laylee Rap" on their YouTube channel.[16] Written and composed by Grant Kirkhope and sung by Chris Sutherland and Kevin Bayliss, the Yooka-Laylee Rap parodies the original DK Rap in the same cheesy, tongue-in-cheek style as its predecessor, containing a number of allusions and homages to it. For instance, Yooka's verse states that he is "green as heck", a tongue-in-cheek reference to the word "hell" from the original DK Rap being replaced with "heck" in theSuper Smash Bros. Melee rendition. In addition, Yooka is described as "quick" and "nimble", a nod to Tiny Kong's verse. The general melody is noticeably very similar to the DK Rap.
Rare Treats: DONKEY KONG 64 Revisited
| It has been requested that at least oneaudio and/or video file related to this section beuploaded.Specifics: The arrangement Please upload music, sound effects, voice clips, or any videos for this section. See thehelp page for help getting started. |
In December of 2024, Grant Kirkhope released a new arrangement of the DK Rap that was included inRare Treats: DONKEY KONG 64 Revisited. The arrangement features entirely new lyrics performed by rapper Substantial.
List ofSuper Mario appearances
Games
| Work | System | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Donkey Kong 64 | Nintendo 64 | 1999 | Original | "DK Rap"[2] | Grant Kirkhope |
| Super Smash Bros. Melee | Nintendo GameCube | 2001 | Arrangement | "Kongo Jungle" | Hirokazu Ando |
| Donkey Konga | Nintendo GameCube | 2003 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Melee) | "DK Rap" | Hirokazu Ando |
| Super Smash Bros. Brawl | Wii | 2008 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Melee) | "Kongo Jungle (Melee)" | Hirokazu Ando |
| Super Smash Bros. for Wii U | Wii U | 2014 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Melee) | "DK Rap" | Hirokazu Ando |
| Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Nintendo Switch | 2018 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Melee) | "DK Rap" | Hirokazu Ando |
| Donkey Kong Bananza | Nintendo Switch 2 | 2025 | Arrangement | "Getaway" | |
| Tetris 99 | Nintendo Switch | 2025[a] | Past arrangement (Donkey Kong Bananza) |
- ^Added in the 48th Maximus Cup on August 1, 2025
Film and television
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Super Mario Bros. Movie | 2023 | Original | "DK Rap"[17] | Grant Kirkhope |
Albums
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Da Banana Bunch: The Original Donkey Kong 64 Soundtrack | 1999 | Original | "Da Banana Bunch" | Grant Kirkhope |
| Remix | "Da Banana Bunch (Vitamin B Remix)" | |||
| Donkey Kong 64 Official Soundtrack / Soundtrack CD | 1999 | Original | "DK Rap" | Grant Kirkhope |
| Donkey Konga: The Hottest Hits | 2004 | Past arrangement (Super Smash Bros. Melee) | "DK Rap" | Hirokazu Ando |
| Rare Treats: DONKEY KONG 64 Revisited | 2024 | Arrangement | "DK Rap" | Grant Kirkhope |
Other media
| Work | Year | Type | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle: Donkey Kong Adventure - Release Date Announcement - Nintendo E3 2018 | 2018 | Arrangement |
Lyrics
This section is astub. Please considerexpanding it to include any missing information.Specifics: Include Vitamin B Remix lyrics
Original version
Here, here, here we go
So they're finally here, performing for you
If you know the words, you can join in too
Put your hands together, if you want to clap
As we take you through this monkey rap!
Huh!
DK! Donkey Kong!
He's the leader of the bunch, you know him well
He's finally back to kick some tail
HisCoconut Gun can fire in spurts
If he shoots ya, it's gonna hurt!
He's bigger, faster, and stronger too
He's the first member of theD.K. crew!
Huh!
DK! Donkey Kong!
DK! Donkey Kong is here!
(Here we go)
This Kong's got style, so listen up, dudes
She can shrink in size, to suit her mood
She's quick and nimble when she needs to be
She can float through the air and climb up trees!
If you choose her, you'll not choose wrong
With a skip and a hop, she's one cool Kong!
Huh!
DK! Donkey Kong!
He has no style, he has no grace
This Kong has a funny face
He can handstand when he needs to
And stretch his arms out, just for you
Inflate himself just like aballoon
This crazy Kong just digs this tune!
Huh!
DK! Donkey Kong!
DK! Donkey Kong is here!
He's back again and about time too
And this time he's in the mood
He can fly real high with hisjetpack on
With hispistols out, he's one tough Kong!
He'll make you smile when he plays histune
ButKremlings beware 'cause he's after you!
Huh!
DK! Donkey Kong!
Huh!
Finally,he's here for you
It's the last member of the D.K. crew!
This Kong's so strong, it isn't funny
Can make a Kremling cry out for mummy
Can pick up aboulder with relative ease
Makes crushing rocks seem such a breeze
He may move slow, he can'tjump high
But this Kong's one hell of a guy!
Huh!
Come on,Cranky, take it to the fridge!
Walnuts, peanuts,pineapple smells,
Grapes,melons, oranges, andcoconut shells!
Ahh, yeah!
Walnuts, peanuts, pineapple smells,
Grapes, melons, oranges, and coconut shells!
Ahh, yeah!
Super Smash Bros. version
Here, here, here we go
So they're finally here, performing for you
If you know the words, you can join in too
Put your hands together, if you want to clap
As we take you through this monkey rap!
Huh!
DK! Donkey Kong!
He's the leader of the bunch, you know him well
He's finally back to kick some tail
HisCoconut Gun can fire in spurts
If he shoots ya, it's gonna hurt!
He's bigger, faster, and stronger too
He's the first member of theD.K. crew!
DK! Donkey Kong! (Hah!)
DK! Donkey Kong is here!
This Kong's got style, so listen up, dudes
She can shrink in size, to suit her mood
She's quick and nimble when she needs to be
She can float through the air and climb up trees!
If you choose her, you'll not choose wrong
With a skip and a hop, she's one cool Kong!
DK! Donkey Kong!
He has no style, he has no grace
This Kong has a funny face
He can handstand when he needs to
And stretch his arms out, just for you
Inflate himself just like aballoon
This crazy Kong just digs this tune! (Hah!)
DK! Donkey Kong!
DK! Donkey Kong is here!
He's back again, it's about time too
And this time he's in the mood
He can fly real high with hisjetpack on
With hispistols out, he's one tough Kong!
He'll make you smile when he plays histune
ButKremlings beware 'cause he's after you!
DK! Donkey Kong!
DK! Donkey Kong!
DK! Donkey Kong!
DK! Donkey Kong!
Finally,he's here for you
He's the last member of the D.K. crew!
This Kong... so strong, it isn't funny
Can make a Kremling cry out for mummy
Can pick up aboulder with relative ease
Makes crushing rocks seem such a breeze
He may move slow, he can't jump high
But this Kong's one heck of a guy!
Come on,Cranky, take it to the fridge!
Walnuts, peanuts,pineapple smells,
Grapes,melons, oranges, andcoconut shells!
Walnuts, peanuts, pineapple smells,
Grapes, melons, oranges, and coconut shells!
Oh, yeah!
So they're finally here, performing for you
If you know the words, you can join in too
Put your hands together, if you want to clap
As we take you through this monkey rap!
Japanese lyrics
These translated lyrics are not present within the game. Instead, they are in the Japanese instruction manual.[18]
| Japanese lyrics | Romaji | Translation |
|---|---|---|
いくぞ！ | Iku zo! | Let's go! |
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | モンキーラップ Monkī Rappu | Monkey Rap |
References
 | Wikipedia has an article onDK Rap. |
- ^Weiss, Josh (November 22, 2019).'Donkey Kong 64' Composer Grant Kirkhope Looks Back on 20 Years of the 'DK Rap'.Forbes.
- ^abDonkey Kong 64 Official Soundtrack / Soundtrack CD
- ^Da Banana Bunch: The Original Donkey Kong 64 Soundtrack
- ^abKirkhope, Grant. Donkey Kong 64 Video Game Music Compositions.grantkirkhope.com. Retrieved February 8, 2024. (Archived December 25, 2015, 10:52:31 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^B, James (September 14, 2012).A Rare Breed Part 2 – Nintendo Nation Talks to Grant Kirkhope. Retrieved June 11, 2025 from Nintendo-Nation.net. (Archived October 26, 2012 via Wayback Machine.)
- ^abanonymousvalley (May 3, 2022).Sonemic Interview: Grant Kirkhope (Online article).Rate Your Music (English). Retrieved January 31, 2025. (Archived May 3, 2022, 18:50:42 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Electronic Gaming Monthly issue 150. Page 162.
- ^Playtonic (April 1, 2017).The Yooka-Laylee Rap!.YouTube. Retrieved May 1, 2023. (Archived May 1, 2023, 23:13:28 UTC via Wayback Machine.)
- ^Grant Kirkhope - Topic (November 18, 2024).DK Rap.YouTube. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
- ^@supermariomovie (March 30, 2023).DK Rap is straight-up 🍌🍌🍌 #SuperMarioMovie.X. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
- ^Kirkhope, Grant (March 30, 2023).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’d would’ve burst with excitement! Long live the DK Rap! @Sethrogen.X. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
- ^Kirkhope, Grant (April 5, 2023).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.X. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
- ^"The first member of the DK crew returns to the track after dealing with a pesky invasion of his home island by somecold-hearted northerners." – Epstein, Joe, Garitt Rocha, and Alexander Musa.Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Official Guide.Prima Games. ISBN978-0744018400. Page 24.
- ^Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.olympicvideogames.com. Archived October 20, 2020, 19:32:17 UTC from theoriginal via Wayback Machine. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
- ^https://x.com/Plush2nd/status/1907801450282992080
- ^Playtonic Games (April 1, 2017).The Yooka-Laylee Rap!.YouTube. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- ^The Super Mario Bros. Moviecredits
- ^JapaneseDonkey Kong 64 instruction booklet (PDF).nintendo.net (Japanese). Retrieved April 11, 2021.
