Luigi Mangione is listening to Taylor Swift and Charli XCX in prison

Despite being behind bars, Luigi Mangione is keeping up with pop culture - even if his fellow inmates don't agree with his music choices.

In a newly released letter allegedly sent to a fan by Mangione, he said he'd given Taylor Swift and Charli XCX a listen in the prison yard - until a fellow inmate stepped in.

The 27-year-old, who is accused of shooting father-of-two and UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan last year, explained in the alleged letter that he recently downloaded some of their songs to his prison tablet at Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center.

The Ivy league graduate admitted he’d never really listened to the singers before, but decided to try them after a fake list of his 'favorite artists' went viral online.

However, he then switched to Lil Durk on a fellow inmate's insistence. 

'Last week, I downloaded a bunch of Taylor Swift and Charli XCX onto my tablet,' he handwrote on the letter, which was allegedly sent to a fan in June but recently posted on X.

'I've never really listened to either of them, but some phony list of my favorite music circulated on social media [redacted]. 

'Rather than be a buzzkill and set the record straight, I figured I'd see what all the hype was about.'

'So walking laps on the top tier of my unit listening to Cardigan by TSwift when one of the other inmates, "King," calls me over to see what I'm listening to,' he explained. 

'He scolds me for awhile, then replaces all my music. Now I listen to Lil Dark,' he concluded the alleged note, signing it off, 'Luigi.'

In a different colored pen, he had added that he was now listening to Dis Ain't What U Want by Lil Durk.

The fan posted the letter to X on Tuesday, writing: 'Luigi wrote back to me, and I’d like to share it with you; to reflect on it together and support him by spreading the word of his message.'

TMZ claimed to have verified the letter, however, the fan who posted it has since claimed on X: 'TMZ said they verified my letter. I am NOT and never was in contact with TMZ in any way, shape or form.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to the X user for authentication; the Daily Mail has also reached out to representatives of Mangione for comment.

Despite his music choice seemingly causing tension, Mangione appears to be well liked in prison. 

Earlier this week, People reported he's a 'a model prisoner,' according to attorney Arthur Aidala.

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Report: Inside Luigi Mangione's prison life

The attorney, who previously represented the likes of Harvey Weinstein and former MDC inmate Ghislaine Maxwell, said Mangione has made a point of helping out other inmates when they first arrive at the facility.

'He actually has been extremely nice to brand new people who go in there,' Aidala said, telling the publication that Mangione is being referred to as an 'ambassador' for the facility.

'When people get there and they don't know what the heck is going on, he is kind of the one who welcomes them and and does his best to allay their fears, and you know, kind of shows them the ropes of what life in the Metropolitan Detention Center is like, and what to do - and sometimes, more importantly, what not to do,' he claimed. 

The letter also included a list of 27 things Mangione was grateful for.

The fan claimed that they had received it back in June following his birthday, but only recently shared it online. 

Mangione allegedly wrote that the influx of messages from fans was 'creating a bizarre and disorienting Groundhog Day scenario where every day is both Christmas and my May 6th birthday.'

Mangione said he was 'incredibly grateful' for the communication from fans, saying 'the monotony of my physical environment is offset by the variety and richness of the lives I experience through letters.'

As well as the letters, Mangione's alleged list of things he was grateful for included his family, friends, 'lucky long sleeve,' the MDC mailroom, memes, books and the BOP music catalog from which he revealed he is currently listening to Television: The Drug of the Nation by the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy.

He also revealed that the MDC staff and correctional officers were 'nothing like what The Shawshank Redemption or The Stanford Prison Experiment had me to believe' and spoke of his new prison pal, his cellmate J, who he shares his so-called 'birdcage' with and who 'tolerates the clutter of all my papers, shares his unique wisdom, and doesn’t hesitate to humble me when I need it.'

His gratitude list also offered insight into his lockup diet, as he revealed his love of 'Chicken Thursdays and Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce' as well as how he is using donations to his commissary account to buy 'a tablet, songs, stamps, hygiene items, BBQ sauce, Goya Sazon, peanut butter, and lots of tuna packets.'