Police say song's description of murder a coincidence

Originally published Jan. 30, 1993

Of the hundreds of leads Palatine police are tracking down as they work to solve the Brown's Chicken & Pasta case, one of the more unusual has to be the possible link between the killings and a rap music song.

Although police sources stress the lyrics are considered purely coincidental, Palatine police this week listened to a song from the album "The Chronic" by Los Angeles-based rap artist Dr. Dre. The song, called "High Powered," includes lyrics describing "seven execution-style murders" in which the victims were shot in the head.

A source close to the investigation said authorities believe there is nothing to indicate that the crime - in which police have said seven restaurant employees were killed "execution style" - was in any way linked to the song.

The album was released in November and is currently listed at number two on the Billboard Magazine sales chart for rap music, according to the magazine. A spokesman for Dr. Dre (pronounced "dray") could not be reached for comment. It is not known whether the song is purely fictional.

A police investigator obtained a copy of the song from an area record store earlier this week.