Luis Manuel 'Manolito' Rodríguez is a professional percussionist, singer, musical director, and educator from Caguas, Puerto Rico. A graduate of the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music, Rodríguez began his musical career at an early age. He first joined the group Haciendo Punto en Otro Son and gained recognition as a prodigy. At age 12, he performed as a vocalist with Roberto Roena y Su Apollo Sound, receiving recognition at the 1998 National Salsa Day.
During his youth, Rodríguez collaborated with several prominent Latin music figures. At age 14, he recorded with flutist Néstor Torres, and at age 15, pianist Papo Lucca invited him to play timbales on La Sonora Ponceña's 45th-anniversary album. In addition to performing with various salsa ensembles, Rodríguez is a Grammy-nominated educator and was honored with his own Meinl Signature Timbales Series in 2025.
As a solo artist and orchestra leader, Rodríguez released the album Pasado Y Presente in 2022. That same year, he released the singles El Poeta Del Piano Version Concert and its remix. In 2023, he followed up with the salsa single Chango Ta Veni.
