It’s no secret that Portlanders are really really proud of Portland International Airport, to the point that the city has become synonymous with PDX (our airport’s code). And let’s be honest, the obsession is warranted. In fact, I challenge anyone to show me a cooler, prettier, or more pleasant airport in the United States of America—particularly one that pairs hip design with this many delicious local food and drink options.

As someone who grew up flying in and out of PDX, I was long under the impression that all airports are somewhat similar to PDX, offering homey atmospheres and good vibes. It wasn’t until I started traveling as an adult that I realized the truth: Most American airports have dilapidated, boring interiors, with food options ranging from mid to terrible. At PDX, you don’t feel like you’re stranded in a shitty abandoned mall; you feel right at home—especially since the airport has spent loads of money on construction projects like the new terminal featuring local artistry and design elements.

DJ Avelanche, one Portland’s best producers—just dropped “PDX (Wooden Roof),” a new track and music video celebrating the airport’s glow-up, blowing a kiss to the city’s thriving hip-hop scene.

While the multi-billion dollar facelift is all well and good, our collective love of PDX has now been complicated by the fact that the Port of Portland Commission voted on Monday to rescind its social equity policy, citing Trump’s executive order and federal funding issues. (For what it’s worth, Governor Tina Kotek has said the port’s commissioners didn’t have much choice, due to the executive order’s threat to cut federal funding if organizations did not abandon DEI initiatives. Kotek also voiced confidence that DEI values do not live within a policy.) 

Just before the Port of Portland Commission abandoned their moral backbone, we got a fire rap track and music video celebrating our beloved PDX and its new aesthetic improvements. “PDX (Wooden Roof)”—written and produced by DJ Avelanche—features Portland hip-hop royalty the Mayoress, Mike Likes Science, and Karma Rivera.

The video is filmed in the newly opened areas of PDX and features a stacked cameo lineup of the who's who of Portland hip-hop. Along with DJ Avelanche, Karma Rivera is credited as a co-writer, with music credits going to Bridgecity Muzik and Avelanche.

The new track celebrates PDX’s bright and flashy new redesign, including the gorgeous, eco-friendly mass timber ceiling along with a plethora of indoor trees. “We’ve got so many and they grow so tall/ Now the airport doesn’t feel like a mall,” raps Mike Likes Science. 

As a city, us Portlanders have long been obsessed with the PDX carpet, posting shoe selfies backdropped by the carpet’s iconic greens and purples to signal one’s return home. While the carpet has sadly been replaced by a new (but similar) pattern, the original carpet has made its grand return to the airport, and the “PDX (Wooden Roof)” music video shows off at least one of the airport's sections dedicated to showcasing the original carpet pattern. 

In rap—and any genre really—it would normally be frowned upon and considered cringe to make such a blatantly promotional piece of content, but the tone is obviously meant to be silly—the track was reportedly made just for funsies.

“PDX (Wooden Roof)” was actually inspired by an onstage dialogue between the Mayoress and Fred Armisen, when they both helped emcee Darcelle X Shoplace's Drag-A-Thon, in 2023.

The video features numerous cameos from local leaders and sustainability champions including: Portland Timbers mascot Timber Joey, Andrew Hoan (Portland Metro Chamber), Marlo Maroon (PREGAME), Millicent Williams (Portland Bureau of Transportation), Brandy Memory (of foster nonprofit Project48), Sam Baraso (Portland Clean Energy Fund), Vivian Satterfield (City of Portland), Karen Martwick (Travel Portland), Sarah Iannarone (The Street Trust), and more.