DK Rap: Difference between revisions

[[File:DK64 DK Rap.png|thumb|300px|The [[Kong|DK Crew]] dancing to the DK Rap]]

The "'''{{wp|DK Rap}}'''," also known as the '''Monkey Rap''', is a song and video that plays upon every startup of ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''. It serves as an introduction to the game's playable characters, and it establishes their personalities and special moves. The lyrics were written by [[Grant Kirkhope]], and the song was performed by George Andreas and [[Chris Sutherland]], with various other [[Rare Ltd.|Rareware]] staff members joining in for the chorus.<ref name="site">[http://web.archive.org/web/20151225105231/http://www.grantkirkhope.com/donkeykong64.html Donkey Kong 64 Video Game Music Compositions]. ''Grantkirkhope.com''. December 25, 2015 snapshot via Wayback Machine.</ref> Kirkhope has stated his goal in creating the song was to juxtapose the style of the new game and set ''Donkey Kong 64'' apart from the previous [[Donkey Kong Country (series)|''Donkey Kong Country'' titles]]. The song is heavily associated with the [[Donkey Kong (franchise)|''Donkey Kong'' franchise]] and with Rareware in general. It is also the main theme for [[Donkey Kong]] in ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]''.

The DK Rap is infamous and well-known for its "so bad it's good" nature, regarding its poor rapping and lyrics—an intentional stylistic choice on Kirkhope's part.<ref name="site"/> The song has been criticized by various video game publications and journalists since the release of ''Donkey Kong 64''. The line "His coconut 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 magazine ''{{wp|Electronic Gaming Monthly}}'' in January 2002.<ref>''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' issue 150, pg. 162.</ref> The DK Rap has met a resurgence in popularity and notoriety, especially as an [[List of references on the Internet#DK Rap|internet meme]]. On April 1, 2017, in promotion of the game ''{{wp|Yooka-Laylee}}'' (a spiritual sequel to the ''{{wp|Banjo-Kazooie}}'' series), {{wp|Playtonic Games}} released a DK Rap-inspired song called the "Yooka-Laylee Rap."<ref>Playtonic (April 1, 2017). "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mSzJj1c1z0 The Yooka-Laylee Rap!]". ''YouTube''. Retrieved May 1, 2023. ([https://web.archive.org/web/20230501231328/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mSzJj1c1z0 Archived] May 1, 2023, 23:13:28 UTC via Wayback Machine.)</ref>

==Description==

The rap starts with [[Cranky Kong]]'s hands mixing records on a turntable. The sequence then cuts to the five playable [[Kong]]s 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 Kong|Tiny]], [[Lanky Kong|Lanky]], [[Diddy Kong|Diddy]], and Chunky. It explains each Kong's unique traits varying from their abilities, weapons, and instruments. 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 a guitar, and Chunky's is a {{wp|timpani}}. Near the end of the rap, Cranky starts to "take it to the fridge." An audience can be heard giving the five playable Kongs a standing ovation before [[Klump]] throws a grenade to the screen, ending the rap.

In the lyrics of the song, the Kongs' abilities, strengths, and weaknesses are described to the player. There are some false statements throughout the rap. During the line about Tiny that says "she can float through the air and climb up trees," Tiny is shown climbing up one of the two thick palm trees; while playing the game in Adventure Mode, only Chunky can climb thick palm trees while using his [[Hunky Chunky]] ability. Aside from Donkey Kong being described as "bigger" and "stronger," he is also described as "faster," despite being the second-slowest character in the game behind Chunky.

This version of the DK Rap is also featured in subsequent ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' games. It appears in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'' as an unlockable song for the [[Jungle Japes (stage)|Jungle Japes]] stage, unlocked if the player obtains a [[CD]] for it. It returns in ''[[Super Smash Bros. for Wii U]]'' as an unlockable song for the [[Jungle Hijinxs (stage)|Jungle Hijinxs]] stage, unlocked if the player gets a chain of 200 in Trophy Rush as Donkey Kong. In ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', the DK Rap is available from the start and can play on every ''[[Donkey Kong (franchise)|Donkey Kong]]'' series stage. In both ''Super Smash Bros. for Wii U'' and ''Super 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.

Though the DK Rap is not featured in ''[[Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle]]'', the E3 2018 trailer for the [[Donkey Kong Adventure]] DLC briefly plays it. In said trailer, [[Rabbid Cranky]] is seen playing part of the DK Rap on a turntable, before being interrupted by [[Rabbid Peach]].<ref>Nintendo (June 12, 2018). [https://youtu.be/kYE7i3RWL1k Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle: Donkey Kong Adventure - Release Date Announcement - Nintendo E3 2018]. ''YouTube''. Retrieved April 29, 2019</ref>

In ''[[The Super Mario Bros. Movie]]'', Donkey Kong is introduced in the [[Great 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.<ref>[https://twitter.com/supermariomovie/status/1641485445816102920 DK Rap is straight-up (three banana emojis) #SuperMarioMovie]. ''Twitter''.</ref> In the teaser, Donkey Kong's film voice actor [[Seth Rogen]] states that the song is "objectively one of the worst rap songs of all time." Songwriter Grant Kirkhope expressed joy over Twitter upon learning about the song's inclusion in the film,<ref>[https://twitter.com/grantkirkhope/status/1641555322723774464?s=20 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]. ''Twitter''.</ref> but was later disappointed in seeing he was not credited as the original composer in the movie's credits.<ref>[https://twitter.com/grantkirkhope/status/1643446092791705600?s=20 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]. ''Twitter''.</ref>

==Allusions to the song==

The DK Rap is mentioned in the [[Game Boy Advance]] remake of ''[[Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest|Donkey Kong Country 2]]'', after Diddy completes the [[Funky's Flights (Bonus Game)|Funky's Flights]] mission [[Cool Sounds]]. By returning Funky's boombox from the mission, he tells the Kongs that he can continue listening to the DK Rap all day.

The song is also often referenced in Donkey Kong's blurbs across game-adjacent material. His description on the ''[[Mario Party 10]]'' website stated that "He's finally back to kick some tail," also pointing out his return to the ''[[Mario Party (series)|Mario Party]]'' series as a playable character. The [[Prima Games|Prima]] guide for ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]'' calls Donkey Kong "The first member of the DK Crew."<ref>Joe Epstein, Garitt Rocha, Alexander Musa. ''Mario Kart 8 Deluxe'' Prima Official Guide. Page 24.</ref> Donkey Kong's website description for ''[[Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020]]'' ("He's so strong, it isn't funny.") references Chunky Kong's verse in the song.<ref>[https://www.olympicvideogames.com/marioandsonic/us/index.html Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020]. ''olympicvideogames.com''. Retrieved November 3, 2019.</ref>

===Yooka-Laylee Rap===

To promote their then-upcoming video game ''{{wp|Yooka-Laylee}}'', a spiritual successor to classic Rareware games such as ''{{wp|Banjo-Kazooie}}'' and ''Donkey Kong 64'', Playtonic Games posted the "Yooka-Laylee Rap" on their YouTube channel.<ref>Playtonic Games (April 1, 2017). [https://youtu.be/9mSzJj1c1z0 The Yooka-Laylee Rap!] ''YouTube''. Retrieved November 3, 2019.</ref>  Written and composed by Grant Kirkhope and sung by Chris Sutherland and Kevin Bayliss, the Yooka-Laylee Rap spoofs 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 the ''Super 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.

{{footnote|note|a|The translated lyrics are not present within the game. Instead, they are in the Japanese instruction manual.<ref>[http://m1.nintendo.net/docvc/NUS/JPN/NDOJ/NDOJ_J.pdf Japanese ''Donkey Kong 64'' instruction booklet] (PDF). ''nintendo.net''. Retrieved April 11, 2021.</ref>}}