50 HANGING OUT WITH BETTE MIDLER! HOW GANGSTER IS THAT? LOL!

Bette Midler and 50 Cent are unlikely best friends.

The two made no secret of their affection for one another at the spring picnic for Midler's New York Restoration Project in Fort Tryon Park on Tuesday.

"He is such a gorgeous star - holy cow!" she gushed to us. "He's like the Godfather of Jamaica, Queens."

Added the Divine Miss M, "I'd love to collaborate with him, but I'm way [30 years] older than him. I really can't rap, but I'd like to sing in the background on 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'."

Midler even thanked the hip-hopper - who's come on board to help the organization create and restore parks and community gardens - during her speech. "He's one of the newest members of our tribe," she said. "He's really made my life worth living. [50] has been with me through thick and thin."

The feeling is mutual. "Look how beautiful things are and how nice it feels when [I'm around her]," Fitty smiled. And what about that duet? "Me and Bette [collaborating] would be really hot," he said. "But I'd need to make something new for her. For the right song, we'd definitely get together."