In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them. When the term is used in the context of war or armed struggle, such associations may also be called allied powers, especially when discussing World War I or World War II.

A formal military alliance is not required for being perceived as an ally—co-belligerence, fighting alongside someone, is enough. According to this usage, allies become so not when concluding an alliance treaty but when struck by war.

When spelled with a capital "A", the word "Allies" usually denotes the countries who fought together against the Central Powers in World War I (the Allies of World War I), or those who fought against the Axis Powers in World War II (the Allies of World War II).

More recently, the term "Allied forces" has also been used to describe the Coalition of the Gulf War, as opposed to forces the Multi-National Force in Iraq which are commonly referred to as "Coalition forces" or, as by the George W. Bush administration, "The coalition of the willing".

Big Mouth (Lakota: Itȟáŋka) (born 1822–died October 29, 1869) was an Oglala-born chieftain of the Brulé Lakota, highly regarded by the Brulé for his bravery and aggressive military leadership. He was one of the chiefs who signed the second Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1868 and remained a bitter opponent of further American settlement, ridiculing Spotted Tail and other Sioux chieftains upon their return from a mission to Washington, DC. He was sixth son of Old Chief Smoke (1774–1864) and twin brother of Blue Horse.

One of the principal chiefs at the Whetstone Agency, located along the Missouri River, where most of the Brulé and Oglala bands had gathered, Big Mouth gained increasing support for his stance among members of the tribe. He criticized what he described as Spotted Tail's reversal of Sioux policy, saying Spotted Tail had been entertained by American politicians and given a personal tour through the major cities of the east coast. Faced with increasing opposition to his leadership, Spotted Tail visited Big Mouth at his lodge, where, upon approaching the entrance, Big Mouth was seized by two warriors and held down while Spotted Tail shot and killed him.

Percy Chapman IV, (born August 13, 1971, in Queens, New York, USA) known by his stage name Tragedy Khadafi, and formerly known as Intelligent Hoodlum, is an American rapper and producer who hails from the Queensbridge housing projects in Queens, New York, who helped spawn other hip hop artists such as Nas, Cormega, Mobb Deep, Capone-N-Noreaga, and many others both through production and influence. His name is a reference to former Libyan head of state Muammar Gaddafi. He was one half of the group the Iron Sheiks, along with Imam T.H.U.G., which produced the underground classic "True Confessions."

He began his career as half of the duo Super Kids, along with DJ Hot Day (then known as PHD), who also had worked with rappers like Blaq Poet, releasing the single "Go, Queensbridge" in 1985. It was this output that caught the attention of Marley Marl, who produced the duo's next two singles, and Chapman was also made a junior member of the Juice Crew alongside artists such as Big Daddy Kane, Kool G Rap, and MC Shan. After a conviction for robbery followed by time in a correctional facility, Chapman became a Five Percenter and began working under the alias Intelligent Hoodlum. His self-titled debut, Intelligent Hoodlum, released in 1990 and produced by Marley Marl, was full of political commentary, Five-Percenter rhetoric, and controversial messages in tracks such as "Arrest the President" and "Black and Proud." He returned in 1993, releasing his second album, Tragedy: Saga of a Hoodlum, which would be his last album under that moniker.