"In 1973, Rufus had yet to start going by the name Rufus & Chaka Khan. The band was still obscure, and the single that made Khan a superstar (1974's "Tell Me Something Good") was still a year away. Khan was handling most of the lead vocals, although keyboardist Ron Stockert was still doing a fair amount of lead singing. If your introduction to them was a later album, you might be surprised to hear how rock-minded this LP is. "Rufus" falls short of essential and isn't recommended to those with only a casual interest in Khan's years with the band, but it's an enjoyable debut that certainly isn't without historic value." (Alex Henderson, Allmusic)
