"Flash Light" was the lead single from Parliament's 1977 album Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome, and it marked a seismic shift in the sound of funk. Keyboardist Bernie Worrell used a Moog synthesizer to create the song's iconic bassline — a rubbery, squelching pattern that replaced the traditional bass guitar. The result was the first number-one R&B hit to feature a synthesizer bass.

George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic's sprawling collective approach produced dozens of tracks that would become hip-hop staples. "Flash Light" stands out for its combination of that groundbreaking synth bass, tight drum programming, and infectious vocal hooks. The bass pattern alone has been sampled hundreds of times.

The record proved that synthesizers and electronic instruments could be just as funky as live musicians — a philosophy hip-hop production would embrace fully. From Dr. Dre's G-funk to modern trap, the lineage traces back to Bernie Worrell's Moog and George Clinton's vision.