According to Cash Money founder Brian "Birdman" Williams, breakout R&B star Nicki Minaj is back in the studio working on her sophomore album, which she hopes to have out early next year.  Furthermore, Birdman hinted that the album's first single could drop before the end of this year.  Minaj's first album, "Pink Friday," was released last November and found its way to the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart eleven weeks later, spawning several charting hits.