“Jazz Thing” was released as a single for the soundtrack of Spike Lee’s 1990 jazz film Mo' Better Blues. Spike advised the group to adapt a poem regarding the history of jazz written by Lolis Eric Elie, and Guru wrote around the poem while Premier helped provide the jazzy backdrop. “Jazz Thing” is essentially a sequel to the duo’s track “Jazz Music” from their 1989 debut album, No More Mr. Nice Guy.