A full quarter of “Turn On the Lights” passes before the beat finally drops, but it’s that floaty and ambient structure that makes Future’s longing so articulate.

It also made a surprise hit for both the artist and its producer—Mike WiLL Made It. The track hit #2 on the R&B/Hip-Hop charts, effectively launching both of their careers. In a Complex interview, Mike WiLL said of the song:

Future was like, “Man, basically you’re telling me to sing it. What are you trying to turn me into, an R&B singer?” I was like, “Bob Marley wasn’t no R&B singer. You know you’re not an R&B singer. You just got an ill tone.”

The breakthrough helped define Future’s strange and lyrical sound, setting the stage for another equally successful single, a star-studded sophomore album, and a new movement in hip-hop, one that stretches from Young Thug to Desiigner. Yet despite both collaborators' tremendous futures, “Turn On the Lights” remains unique in its sound and vision.