Dion , a protege of hip-hop producer Hi-Tek, has signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath label.

The 23-year-old Cincinnati-based artist came to Dr. Dre's attention as a result of his hook-singing talent on potential tracks Hi-Tek submitted under his own Aftermath production deal.

Dre's invitation to record hooks for the superproducer's various projects led to Dion's appearance on "I'm Runnin'" from the Game's 2005 debut album, The Documentary.

A due date for Dion's solo debut has yet to be set , but according to reports , the singer has already begun working on the project.

Hi-Tek describes Dion as a "new-age Marvin Gaye" with natural talent and a soulful sound. "What attracted me about working with Dion was his tone,"  ; said Hi-Tek. "He's a smooth guy who directs a lot of songs toward the ladies. He's also a strong writer with a real vision of how he wants to project himself as an artist."

Hi-Tek says many young R&B male artists are "aggravating and corny because these singers have got caught up in the Boyz II Men thing. I'm not dissing those cats. But these new singers have lost the raw, soulful edge that we used to have with Bobby Womack and other artists.

"That's what acts like Dion and Governor bring to the table," he adds. "Like an R. Kelly, they possess a raw edge with a hip-hop twist. There's nothing corny about them."

As reported earlier , Hi-Tek is currently working on a follow-up to his 2001 solo debut Hi-Teknology.  So far the project boasts collaborations with Nas, Raphael Saddiq, Mos Def and Snoop Dogg. Another joint effort with Talib Kweli is also in the works.