When he was a child, people called him "Rodolfito" (in Spanish, the diminutive of masculine names is formed by adding "ito") to distinguish him from Rodolfo, his father.

The recording was put together with the help of some of Argentina's most prominent musicians, including Daniel Wirtz, Fabián Gallardo, Tweety González and Paul Dourge.

The record won him critical acclaim as a songwriter and helped lead to future projects, including a 1985 album, Giros.

Tercer Mundo, released in 1990, explored Latin American cultural influences and the harsh world of poverty and exploitation.

The album sold more than 750,000 copies, and when Páez toured to support it, he found himself playing sold-out shows for 40,000 people.

Páez's 2003 album Naturaleza sangre marked a return to his musical past, featuring appearances from Charly García, Luis Alberto Spinetta and Brazilian artist Rita Lee on the previously unreleased version of "Ojos Rojos."

In 2006, Páez was given an escopetarra (a decommissioned AK-47 converted into a guitar) by Colombian musician and peace activist César López in honor of his music.

In December 2011; he recorded a new album with songs by other artists performed by Páez himself in a release called Canciones para áliens.