DK Rap: История одной спорной песни из Donkey Kong 64

Song made for the 1999 video game Donkey Kong 64

The "DK Rap" is the introduction theme to the 1999 Nintendo 64 video game Donkey Kong 64. Originally conceived by Rare designer George Andreas and composed by Grant Kirkhope, Andreas co wrote and performed the lyrics, with Rare staffers joining in the chorus. Its lyrics describe the five playable characters in the game, with Kirkhope's goal to juxtapose the previous iteration of Donkey Kong from Donkey Kong Country against the new one. The "DK Rap" is the first song in the 1999 Donkey Kong 64 Original Soundtrack, where it was named "Da Banana Bunch". Despite Grant Kirkhope not intending to make a serious rap, the "DK Rap" has received generally mixed reception and has been awarded "dubious awards" for its quality. The song has since been remixed in other Nintendo games and can be downloaded on the company's website.

The lyrics to the "DK Rap" describe the five playable characters, one per verse: Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong, Tiny Kong, Lanky Kong, and Chunky Kong. The rap was originally conceived by Donkey Kong 64 designer George Andreas and composed by Grant Kirkhope. Kirkhope stated that the DK Rap was not supposed to be a "serious rap" but rather a joke. Consumer and critical reaction was generally negative, however, having interpreted the song as being serious. Video game designer Shigesato Itoi provided a Japanese translation of the "DK Rap" on his personal website.

The "DK Rap" is the first song in the 1999 Donkey Kong 64 Original Soundtrack, where it was named "Da Banana Bunch". Around the release of Donkey Kong 64, Nintendo of America hosted a promotion called the "DK Rap Attack Contest" where people could submit a recording of themselves singing their own version of the "DK Rap". The winner would receive a Donkey Kong 64/Nintendo 64 console bundle, a trip to Nintendo of America's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, and their video would be hosted on the official Donkey Kong 64 website. The song was made available for download on Nintendo's website for use with this promotion. A new version of the "DK Rap" was featured in the 2001 GameCube Nintendo crossover fighting game Super Smash Bros. Melee, performed by James W. Norwood Jr. who provided different voices for every verse. The original theme features the word "hell", which was changed to "heck" for the Melee release. It was also released on the album Donkey Konga: The Hottest Hits. In English language versions of Super Smash Bros. for 3DS/Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Donkey Kong's crowd cheer is a variant of the "DK Rap". As part of a Kickstarter stretch goal, Grant Kirkhope wrote a spiritual successor to the "DK Rap", titled the "Yooka Laylee Rap", for Yooka Laylee. The "DK Rap" is featured as Donkey Kong's entrance theme in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Seth Rogen, who voices Donkey Kong in the film, noted the song's reputation as "one of the worst rap songs of all time" but also stated that he was amused by it upon listening to it in full for the first time, giving it a "10 out of 10 bananas" rating. However, Grant Kirkhope criticized the film for not crediting him.

[[File:Grant Kirkhope by Gage Skidmore. jpg|thumb|upright=1|right|Grant Kirkhope, the game's composer, expressed joy that more people consider the song funny. 1Up. com's Scott Sharkey included it in his list of the "top 5 cringe inducing videogame raps" and claimed that it was a "100% reliable method of emptying the place" in which he took his cigarette breaks. He also called it one of the worst video game themes and called it "so bad it's good" due to its "fundamental cluelessness". He stated, "Really, when I think of the improvisational musical art of the inner city underclasses the first thing that comes to mind is a tie wearing Japanese gorilla. Yeah." Destructoid's Dale North included it in his list of the most obnoxious video game songs and joked that he imagined the Fresh Prince of Bel Air character Carlton Banks dancing to it. The song was performed on a pop show in Japan by a high profile Japanese rapper. The "DK Rap" was included in IGN's list of the worst in game quotes at number eight. The staff claimed that the song "comes to mind" when they think of video game's "all time terrible moments". They stated that it was the "only song in history that sounds like vomit". Game Informers O'Dell Harmon included it at #2 in his list of the "freshest rap songs in video games". GamesRadar's Bob Mackey claimed that the "DK Rap" was the biggest addition to the Donkey Kong character in Donkey Kong 64. Composer Grant Kirkhope stated that staff of Big Huge Games (the company at which he was employed at the time) made fun of him for the song and added that his tombstone will read, "here lies the body of Grant Kirkhope, he wrote the DK Rap, may God have mercy on his soul". OC Weeklys Peter Mai included the song in his list of the "Top 5 Cheesiest (Yet Somehow Awesome) Video Game Songs". He stated, "[it is] probably the worst rap song ever written, but you know you still love it."