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The woman who drove Nipsey Hussle's alleged murderer away from the scene of the shooting is terrified she'll be the victim of a retaliation hit ... and as a key witness, police are going all out to protect her. 

According to grand jury testimony obtained by TMZ ... an LAPD detective claimed the female getaway driver -- identified only as Witness 1 in court docs -- expressed grave concern for her safety on multiple occasions. The detective stated he investigated her claims and discovered numerous legitimate threats made against the woman. 

It's no wonder the woman feared for her life ... the detective told the grand jury her license plate was making the rounds on social media shortly after the shooting. Descriptions of her physical appearance and her vehicle were also on the Internet -- all of which essentially gave vigilantes a road map to find her. 

In the same grand jury hearing, the detective said the LAPD decided it was "very important" to place the woman under their protection and possibly move her into hiding. It's unclear where she is now, or if she accepted the offer for protective custody. 

TMZ broke the story ... the woman claimed to the grand jury she was hanging out with Eric Holder, Nipsey's accused killer, on March 31 when they pulled up to the Marathon Clothing strip mall. 

She claims Holder instructed her to park and wait behind the strip mall, and then she saw him pull out a black, semi-automatic handgun before getting out of the car. Holder allegedly ran through an alley to the front of the store, and fired several shots at Nipsey and others before booking it back to the woman's car. 

It's interesting ... not only did the woman say she drove Holder to and from the scene of the crime, she also told the grand jury she and Holder were in a romantic relationship. 

The only pink thing missing from Khloe Kardashian's birthday bash was a panther.

From grilled cheese to donuts ... it was all pink all the time at Khloe's 35th bday shindig Thursday night. Kim, Kylie, Kourtney and Kendall, of course, were all front and center ... as was Sofia Richie.

Guests were greeted by a neon "Khlo Money" sign ... again, pink. The elegant setup included a gaggle of pink roses ...even pink-themed treadmill and weights.

"Koko's Drink Menu" offered up Casamigos tequila and Grey Goose vodka themed drinks, which they dubbed, "I'm in love with the KoKo" and "Khlo Money Moves." 

For those who imbibed, the libations cups were embossed with Khloe quotes ... "The bigger the hoop, the bigger the ho." As you know ... Khloe loves her some huge loop earrings.

Khloe's kid, True, dressed in a soft pink dress to match her mama's hot-pink top. As the night came to a close ... Khloe & the gang grabbed life by the horns ... as in a mechanical bull.

Ben Affleck has jumped into a lawsuit over the recovery center where he stayed for 40 days .... saying the guy who treated him for alcoholism literally saved his life.

Ben is supporting Noah Levine, who founded Refuge Recovery House, an alternative program to AA. A woman whom Levine dated accused him of sexual misconduct and other issues a year ago ... the LAPD investigated and prosecutors rejected the case. Nevertheless, the Board of Directors is trying to force Levine out, saying the allegations support getting rid of him.

Affleck just filed a declaration, explaining he was a patient last August at the Refuge Recovery treatment center after losing his sobriety. He has also regularly attended meetings and even got one-on-one therapy with Levine.

Ben says, "Working with Noah and his Refuge Recovery program has, quite literally, turned my life around. Today I am sober, happy, healthy and have custody of my three children. All of those things are a result of having Noah in my life. I don't know what I would have done without him."

Ben goes on ... "Noah's patient instruction in sobriety, Buddhism, patience, kindness, compassion and forgiveness form the bedrock of the foundation of my life today. I owe him for my professional life today, the life I have with my children, and the inner sense of equanimity I am actually able to reach from time to time."

In supporting Levine, Ben throws shade at lots of Hollywood hangers-on, saying, "I have been around many people in the recovery field, the self-help world, and the world of those who hang around celebrities for profit and attention ... Noah is without a doubt the person with the most integrity, the most honor, the most genuine compassion and the least motivated by self-interest I have ever known."

And, Lindsay Shookus, who calls Ben her "then live-in boyfriend," says, "I cannot begin to express the tremendous value that Noah's teaching and treatment counseling has had up both me and Ben, and upon my relationship with Ben."

The mastermind behind the David Ortiz shooting has been arrested in the Dominican Republic, officials say. 

Victor Hugo Gomez is the man who allegedly put the wheels in motion for a team of hitmen to roll up to a popular lounge with murderous intent on June 9.

Of course, Dominican officials have now said they don't believe Ortiz was the intended target that night -- insisting the shooter mistook the MLB legend for a friend who was sitting nearby. 

Ortiz was hit in the back -- but the bullet caused serious damage to several organs including his intestines and liver. After the initial life-saving surgery, Ortiz was flown to Boston where he's been receiving treatment ever since. 

As for Gomez, officials say he put out the hit on Ortiz's friend while Gomez was inside the United States. Officials say Gomez has a criminal record and possible ties to a drug cartel. 

So far, at least 10 people have been arrested in the investigation -- including the shooter Rolfi Ferreira Cruz, who has said on the record that Ortiz was not his target. 

Former Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler was rushed to the hospital after stabbing himself at his home ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ someone at Adler's L.A. home called 911 shortly after 6:30 PM Thursday night to report someone had stabbed themselves. We're told when cops and paramedics arrived, they discovered it was Adler who had suffered a stab wound to his stomach.

Our sources say Adler was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. We're told no one else is suspected to have been involved in the incident. 

Adler has openly struggled with substance abuse for decades. He was kicked out of Guns N' Roses over his drug addiction in 1990 ... but was later inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with the group in 2012.

Adler has appeared on several TV shows about addiction ... he was a member of seasons 2 and 5 of "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew" and its spin-off 'Sober House.'

Wendy Williams and her son put his assault case aside to grab some grub together, as his legal drama could soon be coming to an end ... if he plays his cards right.

The talk show host and Kevin Hunter Jr. were out in New York Thursday night, seen for the first time since he pled not guilty in a New Jersey courtroom Tuesday.

The 2 looked pretty relaxed, especially Jr. in sneakers, sweats and a white t-shirt with an interesting photo on it. Check it out ... it's a pic of one of Paul Cezanne's paintings from his 1890s The Card Players campaign.

Perhaps Wendy's son's trying to say something here -- he's playing the hand he's been dealt, he's got good cards, or ya gotta know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em -- or maybe it's just a shirt.

Either way ... our sources tell us Kevin Jr. is likely on course for a conditional dismissal in his case, meaning he can completely clear his name if he stays out of trouble for a short amount of time.

As we've reported ... Kevin Sr. has said he does not want to press charges against his son following their scuffle in a parking lot last month in which Jr. allegedly punched Sr. and got arrested for assault.

Nothing like a good ol' fashioned street fight -- with a hint of MMA action -- to top off a night out on the town ... and this one even has a hype man and a very distressed damsel!

The "Clash in the Crosswalk" (every great fight needs a title) went down Thursday night outside Poppy in West Hollywood. Two dudes, one with his shirt off -- 'cause why not -- squared up for some bare-knuckle boxing.

Here's what we know from the bearded hype man who repeatedly shouted things like, "Welcome to L.A." and "WEST SIDE!!!!" ... the shirt-off dude started the fight, or at least wanted the fight initially.

But, after one shot to the face, the topless tough guy went down ... and the other guy unleashed his ground and pound game, including an attempted rear naked choke. Attempted.

Now that Kylie Jenner's legally allowed to drink ... why not get in the booze biz?!

Kylie has applied for trademarks for "Kylie" and "Kylie Jenner" ... two names she's already trademarked for different goods. But, this time she wants to slap those marks on spirits, liquor, wine, alcohol cocktail mixes, prepared wine cocktails, non-alcoholic cocktail bases, energy sports drinks, smoothies, beers ... plus use the marks for restaurants, bars and cocktail lounges. 

As we first reported ... Kylie expanded her business just last month filing trademarks for "Kylie Baby" to make strollers and all kinds of baby products. The reality star didn't stop there ... she also filed for a trademark for "Kylie Hair" to pump out dryers, curling irons and all kinds of stuff.

Kylie, of course, is already a global brand thanks to Kylie Cosmetics, which is what got her inducted into the Billionaire's club. Expansion, baby!!!

Here he is!!! Kevin Durant is back out in public just 2 weeks after suffering a devastating injury in the NBA Finals ... but it's clear he's got a long road to recovery. 

The 30-year-old superstar was out in New York City on Wednesday -- with a team of people helping him out of a building and into a waiting sprinter van. 

You can see KD's right leg is bandaged up from his toe to his knee. An assistant was also holding a walking boot for Kev while another person followed close behind with a medical knee scooter. 

The clip is pretty short but you can see Durant is trying to be independent. It's obvious he wants to be able to move around without help. 

Durant underwent surgery on June 12 to repair a ruptured Achilles -- which he injured in the 2nd quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. 

Durant had missed significant playing time before Game 5 due to a calf strain -- and some people questioned whether he came back before his body was ready. 

After the surgery, Durant posted on social media saying he wasn't pressured into returning -- and said, "I wanted to be out there that night because that's what I do."

There are reports Durant could miss the entire 2019-20 regular season due to the Achilles injury -- with some speculating he might be ready to go for the playoffs. 

Meanwhile, KD just declined his player option with the Warriors which means he'll officially be a free agent and can sign wherever he wants. He'll obviously get a max contract offer, which would kick off with a $38.2 mil starting salary. 

Get well soon!!!

Benzino blew up on a couple of cops when they hauled him for an outstanding warrant ... and his escalation to all-out tirade was captured on a police bodycam.

In the footage, obtained by TMZ, Benzino was pissed from the get-go about the incident, because he believes the cop who ran his tags racially profiled him.

When the second officer -- whose body cam vid we're seeing -- arrives and explains police can legally run his tags for any reason, Benzino gets snarky, saying ... "I didn't know that I could just be harassed for any old reason." 

The former 'Love & Hip Hop' star adds ... "Would you all pull a white person over like that?"

We broke the story ... Benzino got busted Saturday outside Atlanta. His outstanding warrant was for failure to appear in court for a no insurance ticket he got in April. 

Benzino's snark turned to outrage ... and then just plain old rage when the cops tell him the warrant is all over a prior traffic stop. That's when he started hurling f-bombs, and getting handcuffed only amped things up.

He ended going absolutely ballistic on the female officer, yelling, "Suck my d**k!" ... and threatening to sue her. Benzino's shouting and cussing -- from the backseat of the police car -- drew the attention of a female onlooker. It's unclear if she has any connection to Benzino.

So ... who picks up the check?

Cristiano Ronaldo and Michael Jordan -- two of the wealthiest athletes in the history of the planet -- doubled up for a night out in the French Riviera ... because this is what extremely rich people do.

Ronaldo has been yachting it up with his longtime girlfriend, Georgina Rodriguez, and their kids -- but clearly, they got a babysitter and found some time for a night out with MJ and his wife.

Unclear where they went ... but with Ronaldo reportedly worth somewhere in the ballpark of a billion dollars ... and Jordan reportedly ALREADY in the tres commas club -- they can afford to eat anywhere they want!

Remember, Ronaldo has been sailing around on a $200,000-per-week yacht -- that comes with its own gym space and MOVIE THEATER!

Over the years, Jordan has been spotted floating around on expensive boats.

"Will & Grace" creator Max Mutchnick has a deep, personal connection with Stonewall -- it's the first gay bar he ever dared to fearfully enter, and it now has just come full circle with his own children.

We got Max Thursday afternoon at LAX ...he had just returned from New York, where he took his children to visit the site where the gay rights movement began 50 years ago today ... when a violent clash erupted between patrons and law enforcement.

Max credits the people who stood up for their rights for his own successful journey, which of course includes his transformative TV sitcom. But, with all the progress, there's one person he says is most responsible for "Will and Grace" ... Ellen DeGeneres.

By the way ... Max and Ellen have another connection ... a few years back he sold his spectacular Bev Hills home to Ellen.

Los Angeles native Vanessa Marano was only 13 years old when she landed the role of the spectacled youngster, April Nardini, in the long-running television drama "Gilmore Girls."

Vanessa Marano shared her scenes with stars like Scott Patterson as her paternal plot twist Luke Danes, Sherilyn Fenn as April's pretty (and protective) mom, Anna Nardini ... and of course Lauren Graham as the sassy mom and Luke's love interest, Lorelai Gilmore along with Alexis Bledel as the sweet single child, Rory Gilmore.

Fun fact: Vanessa's sister Laura Marano (23 years old) is also an actress and was one of the original kids on the FOX television show "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?"

HERE'S THE RUNDOWN

Chaka Khan's scorned ex-manager wants the singer to tell her something good ... by cutting a fat check for the money her manager claims she's owed. 

According to a lawsuit obtained by TMZ ... Olasumbo Kuti claims she was hired to be Chaka's manager in 2013, and she says when she was fired in 2017 Chaka owed her a huge sum of money that has never been paid out. 

In the docs, Kuti claims Chaka owes her a cool $236,600 for her business and personal management services. That's not all, Kuti claims she owns 5 percent of 3 of Chaka's businesses, and Kuti is also asking the court to award her that small slice of ownership. 

Kuti says she did wonders for Chaka's bottom line during her time as her manager ... but Kuti says when Chaka cleaned house a few years ago, she was screwed out of a huge chunk of change. 

We reached out to Chaka's team ... so far, radio silence.

Biz Markie says he's 100% on board with 50 Cent shaming people into paying their debts ... now here's hoping Fiddy's cool with food stamps as valid currency to pay off the debt.

We got the "Just a Friend" rapper Thursday in D.C. at Reagan National Airport and, of course, had to ask him what was up with paying 50 with food stamps. ICYMI ... Biz and 50 hung out at a festival earlier this month in Minneapolis and, while backstage, Markie finally ante'd up what he owed. The look on Fiddy's face says it all.

Check out the clip ... Biz tells us exactly why he owed the "In Da Club" rapper money. BTW ... 50 putting people on blast for owing him money is entirely cool with him. It's unclear if Biz really did pay off his debt with food stamps. We really can't tell if Biz is joking or not. 50 took to Instagram and seemed to laugh off the whole thing ... so, who knows.