Rodriguez sang in church as a child, and originally planned to become a doctor like several members of his family. He attended medical school in his hometown of Pinar del Río for two years, but moved to Havana in 2010 to pursue music. He worked as a session arranger and producer for Cuban musicians like Raúl Paz and Liuba María Hevia, and was also in the band Interactivo from 2014 to 2016. After leaving that band, he adopted the name Cimafunk, referencing the cimarróns, who were escaped slaves who formed self-sustaining communities in Cuba during the colonial era. Cimafunk is also the name of his backing band, featuring a rotating cast of collaborators. Cimafunk endeavored to blend Afro-Cuban and African American music, with a focus on funk rhythms. The New Yorker has since compared him to James Brown.
