SURFING AT HUNTINGTON BEACH : Rapping Rider Colby Outlaw Moves at Sea and On Shore

Take a hike, M.C. Hammer. Bust a move, Young M.C. It’s time to make room for Colby Outlaw, the rapping surfer from Huntington Beach.

In a sport filled with charismatic characters, Outlaw can surf, and rap, with the best. Whether he’s catching a tasty wave or finding time to rhyme, Outlaw has one rule--be original.

“My image is to not portray anything or anyone,” Outlaw said. “I’m always in the limelight and I’m really energetic. I think God gives each of us a gift. Some get the gift of gab. Some get other gifts.”

Outlaw, 20, certainly has the gift of gab, and he’s not afraid to use it.

He and his surfing pal, Solo Scott, did their rap routines for anyone within earshot Friday at the Easter Surfing Classic at Bolsa Chica State Beach. Most of their lyrics are unprintable, but clever nonetheless.

“Colby’s a party animal,” said surfer Anthony Ruffo of Santa Cruz. “He’s really fun. He’s a great rapper. He’s a crowd favorite.”

During a stop on the Professional Surfing Assn. of America tour in Puerto Rico earlier this year, Outlaw jammed with a local band.

“He jumped up on the stage and grabbed the mike,” Ruffo said. “He was great.”

But Outlaw said his rap career probably won’t go much further than the beach.

“I do it for fun,” he said. “It’s entertainment. I used to do a lot of dancing--soul, breaking and popping--then I got into rap. I love all kinds of music: reggae, rock, punk.”

Outlaw developed a knack for rhymes at a young age.

“When I was a little kid, I used to write a lot of poetry,” he said. “Once I get going . . . I can really rip it off.”

The words come as naturally as surfing for Outlaw, who was one of eight Orange County competitors who won fourth-round qualifying heats Friday. They advanced, along with the second-place finishers, to today’s fifth round against the top 32 seeded surfers. The quarterfinals, semifinals and finals are scheduled for Sunday.

Outlaw wasted little time Friday showing why he is ranked No. 16 in the PSAA rankings. He carved the open face of each wave like an Easter ham, even buzzing by an unsuspecting bodyboarder who had wandered into the competition area.

“His surfing is really quick and agile, kind of abrupt,” said surfer Garth Tarlow of Fullerton. “He’s got a lot of room to grow, but he should be a big name.”

And big names surf with the world tour. With a finish in the top 16 on the PSAA tour, Outlaw could get a shot at the major leagues of surfing.

“I’m only 20 years old and I might give the world tour a try in a couple of years,” said Outlaw, a 1988 graduate of Huntington Beach High School. “It’s hard because you have to travel all over with the tour, but it would be fun.”

Outlaw certainly fits the surfer look. He’s muscular and tan with sandy blond hair and a ready grin.

But Outlaw is careful not to let his image overstep its bounds. He said he is concerned that surfers are characterized as trouble-making fools.

“I think that portrayed the surfer image of the 1970s,” Outlaw said. “It was all long hair and smoking dope, you know. That image sold in the 1970s and ‘80s, but now surfers are taking the sport seriously. We’re athletes.”

And with the surf as his turf, Outlaw approaches life with a freewheeling perspective.

Tarlow knows.

“His last name kind of says it all,” Tarlow said. “He’s the Outlaw.”

Friday’s results:

Fourth Round

(Top two advance to fifth round)

Heat 1--Danny Melhado, Indialantic, Fla.; Justin Poston, San Diego. Heat 2--Peter Mel, Aptos; Mike deNicola, Mission Viejo. Heat 3--Juan Ashton, Rio Piedreas, Puerto Rico; Joey Zintel, Huntington Beach. Heat 4--Dan Kennedy, Laguna Beach; Josh Mulcoy, Santa Cruz.

Heat 5--Shane Stoneman, San Juan Capistrano; Adam Replogle, Soquel. Heat 6--Nick Brown, Hermosa Beach; Dwayne Maki, Daytona, Fla. Heat 7--Rick Gannon, Grover City; Ty Cukr, Redondo Beach. Heat 8--Dean Randazzo, Summers Point, N.J.; Chris Menzie, San Diego.

Heat 9--Colby Outlaw, Huntington Beach; John Siberell, Cardiff. Heat 10--Jason Haughey, Laguna Niguel; Todd Jacobs, Manhattan Beach. Heat 11--Mark Moreno, Huntington Beach; Sean Yano, Kaneohe, Hawaii. Heat 12--Steve Pugh, Long Beach; Alexi Usher, Carpinteria.

Heat 13--Pat O’Connell, Laguna Niguel; Allen Sarlo, Los Angeles. Heat 14--Jeff Deffenbaugh, Huntington Beach; Scott Blake, San Diego. Heat 15--Darren Brilhart, Costa Mesa; Mike Cruickshank, Costa Mesa. Heat 16--Rob Machado, Cardiff; Anthony Ruffo, Santa Cruz.

BODYBOARD DIVISION

First round

(Top two advance to second round)

Heat 1--Chris Burkhart, Honolulu; Chris Granone, Lomita; Heat 2--Chris Tennberg, Kalaheo, Hawaii; Adam Stoerck, Brea. Heat 3--Kainoa McGee, Honolulu; Phil Corsi, Ventura. Heat 4--Jason Brown, Kalaheo, Hawaii; Ross Asuncion, Koloa, Hawaii.

Heat 5--Douglas Muruoka, Kalaheo, Hawaii; Manny Vargas. Heat 6--Jackie Fisher, Imperial Beach; Bob Forbes, Ojai. Heat 7--Kyle Maligro, Kalaheo, Hawaii; Brian Press, Rancho Palos Verdes. Heat 8--Scott Pekar, Cocoa Beach, Fla.; Alex Brickel, Huntington Beach.