Rob Prince pushes into bold new territory on ‘Couldn’t Think Straight’, a new single featuring Colchester rapper Yung Felc. Released on Friday 24 April, the track frames male mental health through a raw, old school hip hop lens, bringing together two artists from different generations and different scenes for a collaboration that feels both personal and purposeful.
At the centre of the single is a conversation about anxiety that stretches from 1999 to 2026, showing how the pressure, uncertainty and emotional weight of young adulthood can remain painfully familiar across time. Prince approaches that idea with a reflective songwriting style, while Yung Felc brings a more direct and restless energy, giving the track a strong sense of contrast without losing its shared focus.
A local collaboration with real weight
What makes ‘Couldn’t Think Straight’ stand out is the way it connects a meaningful subject with a genuinely interesting creative pairing. This is an Essex collaboration between two artists of different ages and musical backgrounds, recorded at Black Cactus and built around experimentation rather than formula. That spirit suits Prince’s wider approach as an artist, having moved between folk, indie, dance and hip hop rather than settling into one fixed sound.
There is also a clear sense that this is not genre-hopping for the sake of novelty. Prince has spoken about not wanting to write the same song repeatedly, and that willingness to follow an idea wherever it leads gives the single its character. With influences drawn from artists known for crossing stylistic lines, ‘Couldn’t Think Straight’ feels like another step in that direction, pairing risk with substance and giving both artists room to say something that matters.
Review
‘Couldn’t Think Straight’ works because it does not treat its subject lightly or hide behind vague sentiment. The contrast between Prince’s measured, reflective writing and Yung Felc’s more volatile presence gives the track real dramatic pull, while the old school hip hop feel helps anchor the song in something direct and unvarnished rather than overly polished.
Just as importantly, the collaboration feels earned. The cross-generational idea could easily have been reduced to a gimmick, but instead it gives the single its emotional core, with both artists bringing different textures to the same anxiety-ridden theme. It is a gritty, interesting release that takes a meaningful subject seriously and ends up feeling more memorable because of it.
You can pre-save ‘Couldn’t Think Straight’ here. Follow Rob Prince on Instagram and Facebook, and find more music on Bandcamp.
